SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: The ongoing manhole work on Marina beach for the 2,250-km Chennai-Andaman submarine cable system is violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules, it is alleged. On December 21 last year, Union Environment Ministry accorded CRZ clearance to Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to execute the project that connects Chennai with eight islands of Andaman and Nicobar. While granting CRZ clearance, one condition by the ministry was that all beach manhole locations must be on landward side and not on the beach. However, DoT is building the beach manhole terminal near Nochikuppam towards seaward side of Marina loop road, it is alleged.Nochikuppam is home for about 1,000 families, predominantly fishermen. It has a street fish market and the site where the beach manhole is being constructed is their fish landing site. Due to sea erosion, Nochikuppam and adjacent Pattinapakkam have lost most of the beach front. K Bharathi of South Indian Fisher Welfare Federation told Express that DoT contractors are doing the construction literally inside the sea. During high tide, the sea water runs over Marina loop road. “There is only a narrow strip of beach at Nochikuppam which is used by fishermen for parking their boats and fish landing. This has been encroached by DoT for building beach manhole for Chennai-Andaman cable project. When CRZ clearance condition clearly stipulates that the work should be done on landward side, how can they do it on the beach,” he asked. He said he has written to Environment Department, Greater Corporation and environment secretary highlighting the violation and seeking intervention. “Officials have not taken any action on the complaint so far.” SS Ramakrishnan, Director, Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS), told Express that no construction should be carried out on the beach. “Nochikuppam is a hazard-prone area. The manhole terminal should be on the landward side. The beach front falls in inter-tidal zone where no construction can be carried out.” Meanwhile, Jayanti Murali, Director, Department of Environment, told Express that she would look into the alleged violation and take necessary action. Project details Initially, cable will be laid from Chennai to Port Blair for which works have commenced. Later, Port Blair will be connected with seven other islands of Andaman & Nicobar viz Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Great Nicobar, Havelock, Long Island and Rangat.

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