The Tamil Nadu government has halted construction of a Rs 2,000-crore residential housing project in Perumbakkam after finding that work had commenced without obtaining mandatory permission from the State Wetland Authority. The 1,250-unit project, spread across 14.7 acres, is alleged to fall within the ecologically sensitive Pallikaranai Ramsar Wetland Site. The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), at a meeting held on May 8, revoked the environmental clearance (EC) granted to the project. The decision followed a complaint submitted last October by an anti-corruption non-governmental organisation, which alleged that the project site lay within the Ramsar boundary of the Pallikaranai marshland. The complaint was resubmitted to the Chief Minister on June 14. According to the minutes of the SEIAA meeting, a communication dated April 16 from the member secretary of the Wetland Authority stated that the project proponents had failed to obtain due permission before commencing construction. This was found to be a violation of the conditions attached to the EC issued on January 20 for multiple survey numbers in Perumbakkam village. The authority noted that construction activity had already begun without the required approval. In light of the ongoing issues, booking amounts are being returned to purchasers. Welcoming the move, the complainant organization said that cancellation of the EC was an important step towards protecting the Pallikaranai marsh. Environmental groups also welcomed the decision and urged the government to expedite the identification and notification of wetlands across the State.