Violation of CRZ rules: NGT imposes Rs. 10 crore penalty for unauthorised construction in 'no development zone'

Violation of CRZ rules: NGT imposes Rs. 10 crore penalty for unauthorised construction in 'no development zone'

A penalty of Rs. 10 crore has been imposed on a resort at Mahabalipuram for carrying out unauthorised construction in 'no development zone' in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules by the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT directed the penalty to be paid to the State Coastal Zone Management Authority (SCZMA) within two months.

The order was passed by a bench comprising of Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta, after a report was submitted by a joint committee looking into the issue of various violations.

As per CRZ norms, up to 200m from the High Tide Line (HTL) is a no development zone and the resort had built structures to the tune of 1,100.37 sqm, which now the tribunal has ordered to be demolished within two months.

The order stated that in case the resort fails to file an application within two months, the SCZMA has been directed to demolish the excess construction made within 200 to 500m from the HTL. The NGT also restrained the resort from using the construction made in the no development zone area, and from using the excess area constructed till it is ratified by the authorities.

The NGT has allowed the resort to approach the authorities for ratification as a violation case regarding constructions made in the permissible area within three months.

The application was moved in 2016 by 'Meenava Thanthai' Selvaraj Kumar alleging that the resort was located in CRZ-1 and CRZ zone and its operation hampered fishing activities in the area. It was also alleged that the resort had encroached beach land. Over the course of the hearing, the resort argued that the structures built within zero to 200m from the HTL had been existing for almost two decades and built as additional staff quarters after approvals from local authorities, and that it was willing to demolish it as a law abiding company, by way of abundant caution.