The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has withheld the environmental clearance granted for fishing harbours at Alamparaikuppam and Azhagankuppam, located in the intertidal area of Kaliveli estuary, noting with “surprise” that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) does not include detailed studies on turtle nesting grounds, mangroves and other eco-sensitive aspects.
The State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) on November 12, 2021, issued environmental clearance for the project, which includes handling an annual fish catch of 12,000 metric tonnes in two harbours each, along with two training walls of 600-m length on the southern side and 400 m on the northern side of Kaliveli waters.
