Chennai, Oct 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu rights group ‘Arappor Iyakkam’ has alleged massive corruption in the granting of environmental clearance and building approval for a luxury residential project within the ecologically sensitive Pallikaranai marshland — a Ramsar site and one of Chennai’s last remaining wetlands.

In a detailed complaint submitted to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), the Chief Secretary, and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the organisation’s convenor Jayaram Venkatesan said that around 1,250 high-end apartments, valued at nearly Rs 2,000 crore, are being constructed by a private builder in Ram Nagar, Pallikaranai.

Jayaram pointed out that in April 2022, the Tamil Nadu government officially notified 1,247.5 hectares (3,080 acres) of the Pallikaranai marsh as a Ramsar-protected wetland under the 2017 Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules.

Of this, 690.65 hectares are under the control of the Forest Department, while 547 hectares were earmarked for ecological restoration. Despite these protections, the builder applied for environmental clearance in June 2022 to develop a 14.7-acre site into a large residential complex.

According to the complaint, both the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) overlooked the area’s ecological sensitivity.

“Initially, SEAC noted that the project site was ‘near’ the wetland but later cleared it in December 2024. The SEIAA followed suit, granting final approval on January 20, 2025,” Jayaram said.

“Shockingly, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) approved the building plan just three days later.”

The organisation has further alleged that political pressure influenced the approval process.

The project was reportedly showcased during the 2024 Global Investors Meet, where Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the builder, branding it a Rs 2,000-crore investment.

Calling for immediate cancellation of all illegal clearances, Arappor Iyakkam demanded that the government initiate a high-level inquiry into the alleged violations of the Wetlands Protection Rules and possible collusion among senior officials. Environmentalists say the project, if allowed to proceed, could cause irreversible damage to the Pallikaranai marsh — a critical flood buffer and biodiversity hotspot home to over 100 species of birds, reptiles, and fish.

–IANS

aal/pgh