Date:07/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/07/stories/2008100759530400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Elliot’s Beach structures draw flak

Vidya Venkat

Environmental activists say it is a violation of Coastal Regulation Zone rules

PHOTO: Vidya Venkat

ROW: Residents and environmental activists oppose brick and cement structures being put up on the Elliot’s Beach. —

CHENNAI: Environmental activists in Besant Nagar have opposed the brick-and-cement structures currently being put up on Elliot’s Beach. The structure stretches 750 metres from the northern end of the beach to the skating rink.

Activist Nityanand Jayaraman said it encroached upon the beach space and was a violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone rules as sandy beaches fall under the CRZ - I category and permanent structures are not allowed here.

Gallery coming up

Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni told The Hindu that a “gallery” was being constructed on the beach and this was intended to provide seating facilities for beach-users. Other Corporation sources confirmed that the construction was part of an “authorised beach beautification plan”.

M.H.Kalavathy, a resident of this area, who works as a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme, said any construction on the beach, whether big or small, must not be tolerated.

Enough seatng space

She said Elliot’s Beach already had enough seating space in the form of raised cement slabs by the platform. “Beach lovers would anyhow only prefer to sit on the sand than sit in a gallery,” she said.