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Tamil Nadu: Final Approval For Karunanidhi Pen Memorial To Be Discussed By Union Environment Ministry Body Today
Proposed Pen Statue (artist impression)
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Environment Ministry will take up the issue of according final environmental clearance to the proposed Karunanidhi Pen Memorial today (17 April).
During the meeting, the 14-member EAC will review several projects requiring Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance, such as the proposal for the construction of the Pen Memorial.
The 2.11-acre monument, which includes a pen pedestal, pedestrian walkway, lattice bridge, and underground museum, needs CRZ clearance as it lies in CRZ IV(A), CRZ I(A), and CRZ II areas.
On 5 April, the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) approved the project but with some stipulations.
The conditions set include not allowing any pillars to be erected in the CRZ I(A) region. This is to ensure clear passage for all marine fauna, especially turtles, to reach sandy areas.
Construction activities are to be prohibited during the turtle nesting period, and there should be no illumination in the CRZ I(A) and CRZ IV(A) areas during this time. These prohibitions are to apply throughout the project's construction and operation phases.
While the total project area would cover 8,551.13 square metres, about 2,263 square metres of sea area would have to be reclaimed for building the monument.
Environmental activists say that the project site is a prime fishing ground and land reclamation required for the project could damage the coastline.
Poovulagin Nanbargal, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that works for environmental protection, says that the Statue could instead be built on land within the already existing Karunanidhi memorial.
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