Brigade moves Madras High Court against revocation of environmental clearance for Pallikaranai project

The Madras High Court on Friday, July 24, 2026, directed the Tamil Nadu State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to explain how it can unilaterally cancel the environmental clearance (EC) granted to Brigade Enterprises Limited by July 28 to construct high-rise residential towers near the Pallikaranai swamp, which has been designated as a Ramsar wetland.

Justice Mohammed Shaffiq issued the order after senior advocate PS Raman complained that the EC had canceled it without following the principles of natural justice and without giving any notice to the estate agent. The lawyer also claimed that the construction site was located well outside the restricted area around the swamp and that the main title deed date dated back to 1935.

The applications were filed during the hearing of the writ petition filed by the construction company challenging the SEIAA’s cancellation decision made on May 12, 2026. Mr. Raman said SEIAA actually issued the EC on January 20, 2025, after ensuring that the property in question, developed through a joint venture with the land owner, was not within the restricted zone.

It was through the power of the EC that the real estate agent obtained layout approval from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and other clearances from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) before starting construction. Following this, anti-corruption organization Arappor Iyakkam filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition claiming that the property was within the prohibited zone.

The Division Bench of the High Court considered the PIL petition and stayed the construction by an interim order. However, Mr. Raman said that after the PIL petition was rejected, the Brigade restarted the construction and stopped the construction again due to the EC’s unilateral cancellation on the grounds that the estate agent could not get permission from the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority.

Arguing that permission from the Weland Authority should be obtained only “if available” and not otherwise, the senior counsel said that there was no need for such permission for the project in question as the authority had made a categorical counter-affidavit before the Divisional Bench that the ‘zone of influence’ around the 1,247.54 hectare Pallikaranai swamp is yet to be determined.

Mr Raman also told Judge Shaffiq that Brigade Enterprises had decided not to restart construction until the issue was resolved. He, however, urged the court to stay SEIAA’s EC cancellation order and all further proceedings as the CMDA subsequently issued a show-cause notice to the estate agent seeking an explanation as to why the planning approval should not be cancelled.

Stating that TNPCB also withdrew its approval, the senior lawyer said: “SEIAA’s unilateral decision led to successive investigations by other authorities. Therefore, they should be restrained from taking such action.” After the judge heard him suo motu He accused CMDA as well as TNPCB as respondents in the writ petition and adjourned the hearing to July 28.