Supreme Court Directs Centre To Consider GAIL's Application For CRZ Clearance For Laying Pipeline In Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change to consider the application of the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) for clearance for laying pipeline of 255 meters in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) area in Tamil Nadu.

A division bench of Justice B V Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, noted that the matter was at the stage of being considered by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority coming under the Union Environment Ministry, but no clearance had been given yet. GAIL has filed an application before the authority for clearance to use the pipeline, which has already been laid:

“..we find that at this stage a direction ought to be issued to the third respondent (Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change) to consider the application made by the appellant for grant of clearance for the pipeline already laid by the appellant herein, more particularly, with regard to 255 meters which is stated to be in the CRZ zone out of a total 29 kms.”

The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for GAIL submitted that in the absence of CRZ clearance there is bound to be wastage of natural gas, which is now being let out and can be a cause for pollution.

The Apex Court noted that on 18.07.2019, the District Coastal Zone Management Authority had recommended CRZ clearance for 255 meters of GAIL’s pipeline to the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority. The Apex Court also noted that the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Tamil Nadu on 21.03.2022 had recommended CRZ clearance for GAIL’s pipeline to National Coastal Zone Management Authority. Since the matter is at the stage of consideration by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority, the Apex Court directed the said authority to consider GAIL’s application within a period of 2 weeks from July 25

Case Title: Gail (India) Limited V. National Green Tribunal, Civil Appeal Diary No(S). 18853/2023

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