kerala

Updated: Oct 04, 2019 09:11 IST

It was a tearful farewell for a majority of flat owners of four apartment complexes in Kerala’s Kochi, which face demolition for flouting coastal regulation zone norms, as the deadline for vacating their dwelling units ended on Thursday midnight.

Out of the 357 flats in Maradu, 243 have been vacated and 80 will follow suit by Friday evening, Ernakulam district administration said.

After the deadline ended police took over the complex and no one was allowed to stay after midnight. At least two dozen flats owned by NRIs have remained locked and authorities will open them and shift their household goods before demolition, police said.

Authorities have advised police and others to keep utmost restraint and use no force. Police said they will help remaining residents to shift and power and water connections will not be cut.

In fact, the deadline ended at 6pm on Thursday but it was extended till midnight following requests from occupants. Earlier, some residents had sought at least a week’s extension to shift but the district administration turned it down.

“We are working under a timeline and we have to stick to it,” Kochi sub-collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who is supervising the demolition process, said.

In a relief to the evictees, the state’s crime branch said an investigation against builders and officials who gave permission to build these flats flouting coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms begun.

The Supreme Court while ordering the demolition of these flats had also ordered the state to book builders and officials responsible. Later, the state government had asked the crime branch to probe it.

In its last hearing on September 27, the Supreme Court had directed the state government to demolish these flats in 138 days. The state government tried its best to avoid demolition but later fell in line after the top court threatened contempt proceeding against it for not implementing its May verdict.

Left with no other option later it chalked out a plan to demolish 10-lakh square feet structures—perhaps the first instance in the country that such high-rise dwelling units are being pulled down for violating coastal regulation zone guidelines.

Also read: Kerala says no demolitions for CRZ violations now after Kochi, assures Vembanad lake properties

As per the plan, after the eviction of all occupants contractors will be finalised by October 5. Among 15 bidders the district administration had short-listed three after verifying their experience and track record.

The Maradu municipal corporation where these flats are situated said it will call also hold a meeting of nearby residents to expel their worries.

“We will call a meeting of residents before demolition to address their concerns. We are aware some of them are really worried,” said civic body chairperson TH Nadira.

Also read: Kochi flats to be demolished by controlled implosion, locals worried about environmental impact

Earlier authorities had decided to carry out ‘controlled implosion’ to bring down the concrete structures. Experts say controlled implosion is an accepted demolition technique in which explosives are placed in strategic spots and ignited to raze structures within its perimeters.

The case came up in 2007 after vigilance wing of the state’s local self-government body had directed the Maradu panchayat to cancel 31 building permits for various violations, including CRZ norms. But, later Kerala High Court had stayed its order and construction continued.

The Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority (KSCZMA) had moved the top court in 2016, saying five buildings—four occupied and one under construction—came close to the backwaters violating CRZ III norms. According to CRZ III, if an area is notified it should be relatively undisturbed and untouched.

Also read: ‘Demolish Maradu flats’, SC orders Rs 25 lakh compensation for owners

In May this year, the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of these flats saying they violated CRZ norms. On September 6, it pulled up the state for not implementing its order and gave an ultimatum. It passed severe strictures against the state for flouting its judgments repeatedly.

It gave an ultimatum to demolish flats by September 20. On September 20, the state government filed an action taken report and the chief secretary tendered an apology to the top court. But the court rejected both.