Kalaignar Pen Monument: Centre asks TN to submit report in four years
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union government has prescribed special Terms of Reference (ToR) for the State government to “undertake detailed environment impact assessment along with conduction of public hearing by the Public Works Department (PWD), Government of Tamil Nadu” for the PEN monument proposed for late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment, in its letter to PWD, prescribed 10 special ToRs to be undertaken for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance.
“The design shall not be isolated one from the local architecture and motifs which shall be appropriately incorporated in the design to portray Indian heritage features in a place of heritage and tourist importance.” the Union government said in the special ToR.
The State government announced the construction of a ‘PEN’ memorial for Karunanidhi off the coast of Bay of Bengal near the memorial of Karunanidhi at the estimated cost of Rs 81 crore.
The proposed project named ‘Muthamizh Arignar Dr Kalaignar Pen Monument’ will feature a 42-metre tall monument surrounded by landscaped gardens and located in Bay of Bengal at a distance of 360 metres from the shore.
There will be a pedestrian bridge from his memorial to the PEN monument at an elevation of 6 metres from the high tide line. The length of the bridge over the land is 290 metres and over the sea is 360 meters, totally covering a distance of 650 metres. The width of the bridge will be 7 metres with 3 metres of glass flooring.