On January 31, 2023, a ruckus broke out at Kalaivanar Arangam after several people attending a public hearing organized by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) strongly opposed the ‘Kalaignar Pain Memorial’ construction plan at Marina Beach. District Collector Amrita Jyoti’s attempt to pacify those involved in the heated argument failed. , Photo Credit: Jyoti Ramalingam B
public hearing on Proposed pen memorial for former chief minister M Karunanidhi Tuesday was marked by disruption as groups supporting the construction of the monument ranted while opposing views were presented.
Around 30 people, including activists and representatives of fishermen’s associations, expressed their views at the Kalaivanar Arangam on the proposed memorial to be built at a distance of about 360 meters from the Marina beach in the Bay of Bengal. The project falls in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) IA, II and IV (A) zones.
TD Babu, a marine biologist, said that according to the National Center for Coastal Research (NCCR), about 40% of the Tamil Nadu coast is unstable and the state is losing its sandy beaches, which are important for providing a buffer. The concrete structures will accelerate erosion along the coastline, he said.
talking to HinduMr Babu said light pollution near the coast would be a threat not only to sea turtles but also to all other marine organisms whose physiology is based on photosynthesis. In addition, ocean currents and silt would pose problems for the monument.
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Environmental rights activist S. Mugilan opposed the construction of the memorial and asked that the 383-page draft Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment be published only in English and not in Tamil. Supporters of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) created ruckus as Mr Mugilan’s microphone was switched off while he was speaking.
The police removed Mr. Mugilan who was sitting on a dharna on the stage.
“The memorial is necessary, there is no alternative. This is not an industrial project, it is a political project,” said Thirumurugan Gandhi, founder of the May 17 movement. He said that the authorities should pay attention to the issues of rising sea level as mentioned in the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “Anna Library, Valluvar Kottam, Poompuhar speak of our history. The Thiruvalluvar idol was not built in the sea, but on an existing rock.”
Prabhakaran Veerarasu of Poovulagin Nanbergal, an environmental organisation, said Chennai has been mentioned six times in the latest IPCC report, highlighting the vulnerability of the city’s coastal ecosystem. Cautioning against marine intrusion and increase in salt water in areas inhabited by fishermen, Mr. Prabhakaran said that the memorial should be built somewhere on land and not in the sea.
‘The statue will be broken’
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman said on Tuesday that the Kalam memorial would affect the environment and 13 fishing villages. He said that if the statue is built on the Marina beach, it will be demolished. He said, “Make the statue anywhere on land, but not in the sea.”