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P.N. PRAKASH, J.

This writ petition, in the nature of a public interest litigation, has been filed seeking a writ of mandamus forbearing the respondents from implementing the underground sewerage scheme, including laying of pipelines, construction of pumping station and installation of sewage treatment in Rameswaram Town in violation of the CRZ Notification, 2018 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2016 and to demolish the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and pumping station already constructed and to remove the pipelines in Survey No.261/1 and 261/6 via Olaikuda Village in Rameswaram Circle, Ramanathapuram District.

2 The minimum facts that are required for deciding this public interest litigation are as under:

2.1 It is common knowledge that the holy town of Rameswaram which attracts pilgrims in droves for worship in the famous Ramanathaswamy Temple and to visit the memorial of the late-lamented Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, is an island covering 55 sq. kms. in the Palk Strait. Further, the devout strongly believe that their pilgrimage to Varanasi to have a holy dip in the Ganges and to have the https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis darshan of Lord Vishwanatha will not be complete unless the same is followed by a holy bath in the sea in Rameswaram and darshan of Lord Ramanathaswamy.
2.2 Earlier, a public interest litigation being W.P. No.6793 of 2012 was filed for a direction to the authorities to ensure that the 21 holy wells in the Ramanathaswamy Temple are not polluted by sewage. In the said case, this Court constituted a committee to study the situation in Rameswaram and submit a report.
2.3 In pursuance thereof, the Committee so constituted submitted a report inter alia stating that the construction of underground sewage supply lines is a sine qua non for the preservation of the water in the holy wells.

(P.N.P., J.) (R.H., J.) 27.06.2022 cad https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis To 1 The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests 6D Panagal Building Chennai 600 015 2 The Secretary to Government Department of Environment and Forest St. George Fort, Chennai 600 009 3 The Director Department of Environment Panagal Building Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015 4 The Chief Conservator of Forests and Trust Director Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GOMBRT) No.102/26, Retired Army Bungalow I Floor Ramanathapuram - 623 504 5 The Wildlife Warden Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park Mandapam Road (Opp. ITI) Mandapam Ramanathapuram District - 623 502 6 The Chairman Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board No.31, Kamarajar Salai Chepauk Chennai - 600 005 7 The Chairman Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board 76, Mount Road Guindy, Chennai - 600 032 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis 8 The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board D.No.1-1984 Jothi Nagar Collectorate Post Sakkarakottai Village Ramanathapuram 9 The Chairman Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority Panagal Building Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015 10 The Chairman District Coastal Zone Management Authority Ramanathapuram Collectorate Ramanathapuram - 623 501 11 The Chairman State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority III Floor, Panagal Maaligai No.1, Jeenis Road Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015 12 The District Collector Ramanathapuram District Ramanathapuram - 623 501 13 The Tahsildar Rameswaram - 623 526 Ramanathapuram District 14 The Commissioner Rameswaram Municipality Rameswaram - 623 526 Ramanathapuram District https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis P.N. PRAKASH, J.