Now, razing sword over 625 buildings on Vembanad lake

Source: newindianexpress.com

KOCHI: Owners of 625 buildings situated around the Vembanad lake have started feeling the tremors of the Supreme Court order, asking the state government to demolish four apartment complexes in Maradu.
They are waiting with bated breath after a report filed by the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) in the Kerala High Court listed 212 violations in Alappuzha district, 30 in Kottayam and 383 in Ernakulam.

The LSGD stated it has already taken steps to prevent unauthorised constructions in the no-development zones, and strict action is being taken against violators of CRZ norms and officers responsible for the same.

Local people in the coastal region have made the most violations while constructing residential buildings against which grama panchayats have issued demolition notices.

In Alappuzha, of the 212 structures, only two resorts — Kapico and Muddy in Panavally grama panchayat — are non-residential buildings.

Demolition notices have been issued under section 235 (W) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, but a petition against razing them is still pending before the Supreme Court, which granted an interim stay.
In Kottayam, as many as 30 buildings have been found constructed violating CRZ norms. Notices were issued to them while the respective panchayats have been asked to complete the demolition procedure without delay, the government informed the court.

Departmental disciplinary action has also been taken against Y Jose and Sidharthan, then secretaries of Panavally grama panchayat, for non-compliance with CRZ norms.

In Ernakulam, a vigilance case was registered against Cheranalloor grama panchayat officials K N Mohanan and K Sali (then secretaries) and K K Mohanan (junior superintendent) and C J Manuel (lower division clerk). Besides, a vigilance case is pending against Thuravoor grama panchayat official Nirood Prasad.

The report also stated that panchayats are empowered to handle demolition of illegal structures under the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Rules, 2016. No expert mechanism, assistance or satellite images of the locations had been provided to the panchayats by the government or agencies. Only a few panchayats were provided with cadastral maps, it said.The report also said panchayats had not received or utilised funds under the Vembanadu Lake restoration project, its septuage management and environmental improvement. A National Centre for Earth Science Studies officer said more than 5,000 CRZ violations around Vembanad Lake had been identified. But no action has been taken even several years on.