A resident of Madurai, K K Ramesh, has filed a plea in the Supreme Court against the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to build a 134 feet tall statue of M Karunanidhi on Marina beach in Chennai. The plea argues that uncontrolled construction activities on sea shores have caused devastating floods in recent years. The construction activities carried out by the respondents are part of the tidally influenced sea and strictly restricted under the provisions of the CRZ Notifications. The plea seeks to prohibit the burial of any mortal remains in all coastal areas of India and cancel the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to construct the statue.
The plea also claims that Chennai has enough land to build the memorial across the city. The monument is estimated to be built at a cost of Rs 80 crore and will impact the marina ecosystem and marine life. Fishermen associations and communities have also written to the state government as well as the Central Government objecting to the pen-shaped monument reachable via a 360-metre-long bridge over the sea. The plea argues that it will harm the ecosystem, environment and cause long-term damages.
