Fri Sep 26 00:11:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The National Green Tribunal’s southern bench has halted construction activities within one kilometer of the Pallikaranai Marshland in Chennai, India, until a comprehensive scientific study determines the wetland’s actual zone of influence. The order stems from concerns about construction and landfilling near the Perumbakkam wetland, which is hydrologically connected to Pallikaranai. The bench emphasizes that land-use classifications cannot override the area’s environmental sensitivity, especially its role in flood mitigation. The Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority (TNSWA) is tasked with expediting the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) to formally define the marshland’s zone of influence, and no new approvals can be granted for projects that may alter the area’s character until the IMP is finalized.

**News Article:**

**Construction Halted Near Chennai’s Pallikaranai Marshland Amid Environmental Concerns**

**CHENNAI, INDIA – September 26, 2025** – The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a strict order halting all construction activities within one kilometer of the Pallikaranai Marshland in Chennai. The move comes in response to growing concerns over ongoing construction and landfilling near the Perumbakkam wetland, which is hydrologically linked to the larger Pallikaranai ecosystem.

The NGT’s decision was prompted by media reports highlighting unauthorized activities near Survey No. 286 in Perumbakkam village, located a mere 246 meters from the boundary of the marshland, which was designated a Ramsar Site in 2022. The bench, consisting of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Prashant Gargava, emphasized the potential for these activities to disrupt natural water inflows, damage the marsh’s ecological function, and exacerbate flood risk in surrounding residential areas.

While the private developer, M/s Grande City Development Company LLP, argued that the site falls under a designated residential zone, the NGT asserted that land-use classification cannot supersede the area’s vital environmental role, particularly its established importance in flood mitigation.

The Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority (TNSWA) is currently working on an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) to formally define the marshland’s zone of influence, which has been provisionally marked as a one-kilometer buffer zone. The NGT has directed TNSWA, the Water Resources Department, and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to expedite the completion of this plan.

Until the IMP is finalized and the zone of influence is officially notified, the NGT has mandated that no new planning permissions, approvals, or sanctions can be granted for any project that could potentially alter the character of the Pallikaranai Marshland or its associated hydrological systems. The decision underscores a growing emphasis on environmental protection in the face of rapid urban development.

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