The Supreme Court verdict ordering demolition of apartment buildings in Kochi that flout Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms should be implemented, said minister for local self government AC Moideen.
The Supreme Court in its May 8 verdict had said that five apartment buildings, which were given permission to be built by the Maradu local body, flouting CRZ norms, will have to be demolished within one month. Out of the five buildings that got permission, four have completed construction and occupy residents, while one of the apartment buildings is yet to be built.
The minister said that the government has the opinion that apex court order should be implemented, but then he also stressed on the humanitarian concerns about the residents living in the apartment buildings. “Out of the 350 families that are living in these apartments, not everyone will be rich. There will be middle class families, and even those who have bought the flat with their pension amount. Because of that, there is a humanitarian concern here. The Maradu municipality have a complex problem of handling this situation,” AC Moideen told media on Saturday.
The minister was speaking after a meeting with the officials including Ernakulam Sistrict Collector and Maradu municipality members in Thiruvananthapuram.
The government has also decided not to give review petition on the court’s decision in the case, reported ToI.
Meanwhile, the government has sought a report from IIT Madras on the impact the demolition of the apartment buildings will have on the environment. The apartment buildings are situated on the banks of backwaters in Maradu, situated around 9 km away from Kochi city. IIT has been asked what will be the best possible method that could be adopted to demolish the buildings that cause minimal environmental impact.
Out of the five apartment buildings that got illegal permission from the Maradu gram panchayat, which was the then local body, four of them – Holy Faith, Kayaloram apartments, Alfa Ventures and Jain Housing – completed construction and inhabits residents.