The International Dugong Conservation Centre is planned by the forest department at Sarabendrarajan pattinam village in Pattukottai taluk, Thanjavur district.
The project is located within multiple Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ), including CRZ III (No-Development Zone), where construction is restricted.
The proposed area covers nearly 23,000 square metres.
It includes research, education, and recreational infrastructure such as a museum, theatre, eco-hub, and pathways.
The site falls near seagrass beds, tidal rivers, and mangrove forests, which are ecologically sensitive and protected under the CRZ Notification, 2011.