Press Release No. 2569, Pallikaranai Ramsar Site Clarification
The Tamil Nadu Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department issued Press Release No. 2569 on 28 October 2025 to clarify reports about approvals for a multistorey building project within the Pallikaranai Ramsar Site. The department states that the approved plots are private patta lands outside the existing Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest boundary, while the wider Ramsar Site boundary has not yet been finalised by survey number.
What the press release covers
Press Release No. 2569 of the Tamil Nadu Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department responds to media reports alleging that environmental clearance and planning approval had been given for a multistorey building within the Pallikaranai Ramsar Site. The department says the survey numbers referred to in those reports are private patta lands according to Revenue Department records.
The department also says the allegations are without basis because the Pallikaranai wetland notification and the survey number based Ramsar boundary are not yet final.
Existing protected area
The Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest covers about 698 hectares and was declared in 2007 under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882. It is a protected area belonging to the Forest Department, and no construction is permitted within it.
The declared Ramsar Site covers 1,248 hectares. This includes the 698 hectare reserve forest and an additional 550 hectares that are to be defined after the required process.
Boundary work still in progress
The land outside the Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest has not yet undergone ground truthing to identify and define the Ramsar Site by survey number. The boundary definition work was assigned in November 2024 to the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, a Union Government institution.
The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management is preparing an Integrated Management Plan that will include:
- Boundaries defined using survey numbers.
- Land use shown on a digital map.
- A list of activities to be permitted or regulated.
- Participation by relevant persons in preparing that list.
The Ramsar notification process also requires the map, plan and relevant survey numbers to be placed in the public domain. The press release describes a public consultation process within 60 days and gives the State Government 240 days to consider and address comments or objections received.
Effect on owners and buyers
Press Release No. 2569 states that approvals referred to in the media were issued only for private patta lands outside the current Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest boundary. The final Ramsar Site boundary will take effect only after survey number comparison, ground truthing and notification are completed.
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Common questions
Is construction allowed inside the Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest?
No. The Tamil Nadu Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department states that no construction is permitted within the approximately 698 hectare reserve forest.
Has the full Pallikaranai Ramsar Site boundary been finalised by survey number?
No. Ground truthing, survey number based boundary definition and notification are still to be completed for land outside the reserve forest.
Why were approvals given for the plots mentioned in media reports?
The department states that Revenue Department records classify those survey numbers as private patta lands and that approvals were issued only for land outside the existing reserve forest boundary.
Will the proposed Ramsar boundary information be available to the public?
Yes. The press release says the notification process includes placing the map, plan and survey numbers in the public domain and conducting a public consultation.
