KOCHI: Two LPG godowns are functioning at Companypady in Chellanam panchayat violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules. As per panchayat sources, the LPG godowns owned by Sitara Gas and Super Flame have been operating in the area for more than 10 years.
Although the issue was brought to the notice of the Chellanam panchayat officials by Krishan Dev Gaur, a resident of Koovapadam, in July 2019, the authorities are yet to take any action.
According to a report submitted by the assistant engineer (Chellanam), the two aforementioned structures were built along the sea wall and one of the godowns is only nine metres away from it.
The assistant engineer had also issued demolition notices to the illegal constructions after conducting an inspection. Complainant Krishan Dev Gaur said one of the godowns owned by Sithara Gas agency violated rules and regulations by not obtaining required permissions from Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Kerala Water Authority, Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority and a few other departments.
“Sithara’s godown was built by demolishing an old hut which had a building number given by the panchayat. They demolished that structure in 2009 and built a new LPG godown without obtaining any approval,” Krishan Dev Gaur said. According to him, the Chellanam panchayat secretary had stated that the two LPG godowns were built before 1993, that is before the CRZ norms came into existence, to justify its functioning.
K J Joy, assistant director of panchayat (Ernakulam), said the demolition notice was issued under Section 235 (W) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, to Sithara Gas agency during the inspections conducted under the instruction of the deputy director of panchayat (Ernakulam) and by the Chellanam panchayat.
According to him, Sithara Gas agency was given an additional 40 days’ time to submit the necessary documents to the Chellanam panchayat secretary.
The panchayat’s involvement in infection control activities during Covid-19 was the reason given by the officials for the delay in taking action. Krishan Dev Gaur said that an LPG gas godown was built near Sait Exim Company at Karuvelipady. “As per the report of the building inspector, the structure was constructed in violation of Kerala Building Rules and it violated CRZ norms as it did not leave mandatory distance from the backwaters,” he said.
As per an official document, the Kochi Corporation had instructed the owner of the building to demolish it within 15 days in August 2019 for violating norms. According to Ambily T A, executive engineer, corporation, the building has not been occupied yet. She said that no building rule violations were reported during an inspection conducted by the building inspector previously.
“We had instructed the owner that the building will be demolished if the NOC from KCZM is not produced within the stipulated time in March. The demolition work got delayed further due to the area becoming a containment zone”, said the official.
Owners refute charges
The owners of the buildings, however, stated that their buildings were not illegally constructed. “We have been running our firms for around 30 years before the CRZ rules came into existence. The panchayat should not have issued any licence to us if they were found to be violating any rules”, said Rakesh, manager of Super Flame gas agency.
C S Abeeb, proprietor of Sithara Gas agency, also said he had all papers. According to him, an injunction order from District Munsiff Court was sent to the Chellanam panchayat secretary barring them from entering the property. Abeeb said that his two buildings were built before the CRZ rules came into existence. “The panchayat had only sent notice on CRZ violation to one of the buildings which is not being used as a godown. We have also been paying tax to the panchayat since 1977,” he said.