Residents of Kochi's Maradu apartments join hands to save their homes
KOCHI: Residents of all the four apartment complexes which, as per directives of the Supreme Court (SC), are to be demolished due to violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regulations, have organised themselves under one umbrella, in an attempt to save their apartments from being razed. The newly formed Coordination Committee for Protection of Homes includes all the 400 families, who occupy the controversial high-rises.
The Supreme Court on Friday had dismissed the writ plea filed by Maradu flat owners against the demolition of their apartments. “We feel that our basic rights have been violated. The SC did not even hear our plea before its final verdict. We are approaching the state government as a last resort, as the permits for building the apartments have been given by the Maradu Municipality. We are getting punished for the mistakes made by officials who granted the permits,” said Shamsudhin Karunagappally, a lawyer and chairman of the committee at press meet held in Kochi on Monday.
“The location of the waterfront apartment and the facilities that were available in the vicinity were the factors that prompted us to purchase the flat. Even if the government takes up rehabilitation and resettlement, we will get only a minimal amount, a fraction compared to what we have spent for our apartment,” said Shamsudheen, who is also the residents association president of Holy Faith H20, one of the apartment complex.
“If the SC's decision is a precedent, then more such buildings exist that have flouted norms. If CRZ 3 is the law of the land for panchayats, which states that no construction is permitted within 200 metres from the coastal line, then violations are aplenty in Kochi. A lot of buildings exist that can be considered as a violation,” said C M Varghese, residents' association president of Golden Kayaloram.
Aimed at sensitising the public, the municipal council and other authorities about their issues, the committee will stage a dharna in front of Maradu Municipality on Tuesday. Former MP Sebastian Paul will inaugurate the dharna, which will be chaired by Shamsudhin. Hibi Eden MP, M Swaraj MLA, former minister K Babu and Kerala Latin Catholic Legal Forum president Justin Karipetta will also take part in the dharna.
Flat owners demand:
- Immediate intervention of the state government
- MLAs must pass a resolution in the Assembly so that suitable notification is brought out for regularisation of all construction carried out when ambiguity prevailed over the CRZ laws
- Intervention of Centre for passing the ordinance