Chennai: The southern bench of the national green tribunal, Chennai, has directed SRM University, Kattankulathur, not to release untreated solid waste into a proposed stormwater drain connecting to Potheri lake.
On a petition filed by M.K. Dhandapani, president, Nandhivaram-Guduvanchery panchayat union, the bench, comprising judicial member, Justice M. Chockalingam, and expert member R. Nagendran, passed the interim order.
Counsel for the petitioner M. Thenmozhi and C.A. Prabhakar contended that the Maraimalai Nagar municipality, located near NH45, proposes to construct a stormwater drain for 975 metres for discharging excess water from the Potheri lake.
The channel would pass through the SRM campus and private lands located near the place.
This would enable SRM University to discharge sewage and medical waste into the proposed drainage, which would cause high pollution in the area and affect the groundwater table.
The Maraimalai Nagar municipality had not obtained the necessary permission from the TNPCB to set up the drainage channel.
A part of the channel would pass through the Nandivaram-Guduvanchery panchayat union, which was illegal, as the area does not come under the jurisdiction of the Maraimalai Nagar municipality.
