The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has revoked the Environmental Clearance (EC) granted to Brigade Enterprises Ltd. for its proposed residential project in the Pallikaranai marshland Ramsar site after finding that the company had commenced construction without obtaining mandatory permission from the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority.

The decision was taken during the 1,005^th meeting of the SEIAA held on May 8, 2026, following a communication from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority. The Authority brought to SEIAA’s notice that Brigade Enterprises had failed to comply with a project-specific condition attached to the environmental clearance granted on January 20, 2025.

The condition required the project proponent to obtain due permission from the Wetland Authority before commencing any work, wherever applicable. However, the Wetland Authority informed SEIAA that construction activities had already begun and that no such permission had been obtained prior to the start of the project.

SEIAA noted that this amounted to a violation of the conditions of the environmental clearance.

After considering the Wetland Authority’s findings, SEIAA decided to rescind the environmental clearance issued to the project. The project, known as Brigade Morgan Heights, proposes around 1,250 residential units on about 14.7 acres in Perumbakkam, within the Pallikaranai marshland’s Ramsar boundary.

Activists welcome move

Welcoming the move, Arappor Iyakkam said the cancellation was an important step towards protecting the Pallikaranai marsh. The organisation said it had raised complaints regarding the project approvals with various authorities in October 2025 and maintained that construction had begun without clearance from the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority. It urged the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to also revoke the project’s planning permission.

Poovulagin Nanbargal, an environmental organisation, welcomed the move and urged the Environment Department not to entertain any fresh application for environmental clearance from Brigade for the project. It also called on the Tamil Nadu government to expedite the identification and notification of wetlands across the State in accordance with the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.