KOCHI: Quickly responding to the ‘Express’ report on Saturday, the district administration has initiated action against violations of construction and renovation norms in the Fort Kochi Heritage Zone.
Fort Kochi Sub Collector S Suhas said a stop memo would be served to halt construction, being underway near Khoder House on Tower Road in Fort Kochi, after verification of documents. A hearing will be held on Monday and further action will be taken based on it.
“Using powers of Sub Collector, I can initiate action against any illegal construction or renovation taking place in the Heritage Zone. The public may directly approach me if they have any complaints regarding destruction or defacement of buildings in the Zone,” Suhas said. The Sub Collector also assured swift action against violators.
The ‘Express’ report had brought to fore glaring violations of heritage conservation norms in construction and renovation of buildings in Fort Kochi and Mattanchery Heritage Zone Area. Dr G Premkumar, Director of Archaeology Department and member of the Art and Heritage Commission, said the Commission had no powers other than to check the applications submitted before it. “Fort Kochi comes under two types of rules. One is the premises close to protected monuments under the Archaelogical Survey of India. Other is Fort Kochi-Mattanchery Heritage Zone,” he explained.
“Construction activities are restricted hundred metres around protected monuments and 300 metres around them are regulated areas,” he added.
[[ I can initiate action against any illegal construction or renovation in the Heritage Zone. The public may directly approach me if they have any complaints — s suhas, Sub Collector
[[The (Conservation) society has failed even to carry out the cleaning work of the Fort Kochi beach, let alone major conservation works — M P Sivadathan, Cochin Heritage Zone Conservation Society