The Central Government has pulled the plug on the only protection that our city’s coast had – norms governing building in areas that qualify as Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) II. According to the existing rules, all construction within 500 metres of the sea was disallowed. Now, thanks to intense lobbying by the real estate industry and continued representations by the State Government, this has been relaxed, with a few conditions attached. The builders are jubilant, but as to what it portends for the city is a matter of concern.

The new regulations applicable to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat remove all restrictions on CRZ II areas. Mumbai city and Goa had already lobbied hard for the change and had succeeded in getting the regulations affecting them removed in 2011. That gave a fillip to all other coastal states to fight for the same rights. They will now be subject to the same regulations as the rest of the city to which they belong. There will be no limits on heights of the structures and these can also have basement and stilt-based car parking facilities. The Government has, however, stipulated that the floor space index (FSI) for these constructions will be based on the rules prevailing in 1991 – this, it is argued, will be sufficient to protect the areas from rampant over-construction. In addition, all buildings coming up on CRZ II areas will have to compulsorily recycle wastewater.

You only need to look around you to speculate on what will happen to these areas in a few years. In a city where FSI is consistently violated, and where the enforcement agencies prefer to look the other way, what is the guarantee that violations will not take place? What will prevent an area like MRC Nagar becoming another T Nagar? Nothing really. Violations are sadly the norm in Chennai’s construction industry – a few extra feet of land per building may not amount to much individually, but collectively it can have very detrimental effect on the quality of life. But who is to realise that, especially when there are crores of rupees at stake?

We have in the recent past carried a story about how most of the gated communities and apartment complexes that have come up in the outskirts of the city lack water treatment plants, exploit groundwater and release untreated sewage into the public drains and water bodies. It is a well-known fact that the Buckingham Canal, no matter what be its condition within the city, was a pristine stream just outside of it until these housing communities came up along its side. That the water body could have shrunk within a few years of these constructions indicates what havoc these builders can play when they indulge in violations of all sorts.

Lastly, the tsunami of 2004 appears to have receded from collective memory. The havoc it played on the coastal areas and the subsequent crash in demand for property along the beach needs to be recalled. How has a decade changed all that? Or are we imagining that such a disaster will never occur again? Ten years ago, we hardly had any coastal constructions and so the loss of life was low. What will be the outcome if high waves strike densely populated areas? And if such a tsunami is unlikely, why is the Government using that bogey for evicting the fisherfolk who are the original settlers in coastal areas? Is it to make way for the builders?

In the meanwhile, hurry up and go and take a look at the beach. Chances are that it may not last long and, before you know it, exclusive villas and highrise for the rich, and shanty towns for the poor that support the services to the former will soon close it all off.