Debris of Ganesh idols washed ashore after the immersion ceremony during Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration at Pattinapakkam in September 2023.
| Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran
The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu authorities to reconsider the use of Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai in Chennai for idol procession and immersion, noting that the two locations fall within the CRZ-I area, and may therefore not be permissible.
The NGT noted that around six locations had been identified in Chennai for idol immersion. Of these, Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai fell within the Coastal Regulation Zone-I (CRZ-I).
The bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Prashant Gargava directed the authorities to consider splitting the locations and attaching them to any of the other four designated sites for the idol procession and immersion.
It also appreciated the efforts taken by the State government to create public awareness on the environmental aspects of idol immersion. However, it directed the government to further sensitise people to the need to protect coastal zones and the importance of the marine ecosystem.
The direction came after the NGT considered the status reports furnished by District Collectors across Tamil Nadu, along with a compliance report from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and an additional status report from the Greater Chennai Corporation.
The State government also agreed to convene a meeting before the date of immersion to discuss the issue and report back to the Tribunal.
The matter has been posted to September 16.
Published – September 12, 2026 07:19 pm IST
