SC refuses to entertain plea against TN decision to construct 134 feet tall Pen statue at Marina beach

However, the court grants the liberty to petitioners to move to the appropriate forum and seeks remedies as per law

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea to cancel the Tamil Nadu Governments decision to construct the 134 feet tall Pen monument in honour of ex-Chief Minister and DMK supremo Karunanidhi at the Marina Beach.

A bench comprising Justice SK Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia refused to entertain the petition. However, the court grants the liberty to petitioners to move to the appropriate forum and seeks remedies as per law.

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The plea was filed by various petitioners, including fishermen across the coastal areas especially in Chennai of Tamil Nadu, who claimed that they have been affected by Tamil Nadus decision to construct the 134 feet tall Pen statue inside the Marina beach near the Muthamil Kalaignar Karunanidhi memorial which is affecting their livelihood and damaging the ecosystem as well as the marine life of marina beach.

According to the petition, the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (PWD) approved the project, but environmentalists have raised an alarm that the project would damage the coastal ecosystem.

The proposed site for the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar Pen Monument falls under CRZ-IA, CRZ-II and CRZ-IVA areas. The proposed monument would be located around 360 metres into the Bay of Bengal from the Marina Beach coast. The State sought permission under Section 4 (ii)(j) of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification amended on March 22, 2016, the petitioner said.

“The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had asked the State to submit the final Environment Impact EIA/EMA report within four years on the DMK governments plan to construct the Kalaignar Pen Monument in the Bay of Bengal,” the petitioner said.

“The Tamil Nadu governments decision to construct the 134 feet tall Pen statue inside the Marina beach is a violation of Articles 14, 19, 21 of the Indian Constitution,” the petition added.