Date:02/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/02/stories/2009010254900600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Authorities restrained from filling water body

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained the authorities from filling any part of the water body/ eri poromboke/ marshland in Okkiam Thoraipakkam village, off Rajiv Gandhi Salai ( Old Mahabalipuram Road).

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice V. Dhanapalan also ordered notice, returnable by February 3, 2009 to the Central government, State government and president of Okkiam Thoraipakkam panchayat union on a petition filed by Susetha, former ward member of the panchayat union.

According to Susetha, the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board had proposed to construct 3,000 tenements at the site in question, which was adjacent to Kanagi Nagar Slum Board tenements. The present move would lead to further shrinking of the Pallikaranai marsh, which had an extent of about 5,000 hectares 30 years ago.

The entire marsh was under threat of extinction and several short-sighted and flawed policies had already led to its shrinking.