Jain Housing and Constructions Limited (presently Jain Housing) has moved the Madras High Court against Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’s insistence on paying environmental compensation of ₹2.19 crore for having constructed 620 dwelling units as against environmental clearance granted for only 412 units in Phase I of ‘Jains Pebble Brook’ apartments on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) at Thoraippakkam in Chennai.
A summer vacation Bench of Justices B. Pugalendhi and V. Lakshminarayanan heard preliminary arguments advanced on behalf of the property developer on May 25 and simply adjourned the matter to the first week of June. The judges were of the view that the remedy for the petitioner firm lies before the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, they permitted it to take its chance before the regular bench immediately after vacation.
The court was told the petitioner had obtained environmental clearance in 2005 for constructing 412 dwelling units on 51,020.61 square metres but ended up constructing 620 units within a much lesser area of 48,614.44 square metres. One of the purchasers of the dwelling units had approached the National Green Tribunal in 2018 alleging violation of the environment laws and obtained a direction to the TNPCB to initiate action.
