Pay Rs 8 lakh in damages, NGT tells real estate firm

CHENNAI: Chennai: The Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a Chennai-based real estate firm, Esthell Homes, to pay monetary compensation of Rs 8 lakh for damaging a private property of a Velachery resident in 2015.

Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati hearing the case noted that though the resident is not entitled for compensation for the mental agony, the real estate homes have to pay for 8 lakh with 7% interest.

Meanwhile, the bench also directed Esthell Homes to pay Rs 20,000 to the resident for covering costs. Additionally, the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority-TN (SEIAA-TN) and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to direct action if there was any violation found in complying with the conditions of environmental clearance and consent granted against Esthell Homes in accordance with the law.

In 2015, Esthell Homes had planned to construct an apartment complex with 91 flats in a locality between the MRTS line and Jyotsna Resident Colony in Velachery. According to the resident, the construction activity created major disturbance and nuisance including sound, air and water pollution.

The repeated construction is said to have caused cracks in the wall.