SC pulls up Kerala govt over Maradu flat demolition order
A lopsided picture is being given to us. We don’t understand what is happening. This is a blatant breach of law SUPREME COURT BENCH
NEWDELHI:THE Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Kerala chief secretary for not complying with its orders to demolish highrise apartment blocks built in violation of the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) at Maradu in Ernakulam district.
A bench led by Justice Arun Mishra said it is apparent that no concrete plan has been carved to undertake the demolition. It also claimed that there was a largescale illegal construction going on in the state. “Owing to such violation of law at various places, huge devastation has already taken place in the State of Kerala in the year 2018 with colossal loss of human life and the property, the entire country was moved by it. It is due to such violation and tortuous action, the entire environment is being degraded and coastal zones are being illegally occupied,” the court said.
The top court was referring to the 2018 Kerala floods, the worst in a century, which claimed the lives of nearly 500 people.
“There is loss of life and propwill erty, thousands of people have died in the devastation... how many houses have you built for the victims? But there are illegal constructions in prohibited places,” said the bench. The bench, also comprising justice Ravindra Bhat, said it will pass a detailed order in connection with the demolition of Maradu flats on Friday.
Senior advocate Harish Salve represented the state.
The top court had earlier asked the state government to file a compliance report before it by September 20 failing which the chief secretary will have to be present before it on September 23.
The judges on Monday expressed severe displeasure at the way in which unauthorized structures have mushroomed in the state and said responsibility have to be fixed. Justice Mishra called for a survey of the coastal stretches to ascertain the number of illegal construction.
The officials who allowed the illegal activity to continue should be identified, he said. The apex court had on May 8 directed demolition of flats in Maradu area and ruled that the construction was in violation of the CRZ regulations.
“It appears that the authorities are trying to mobilize public opinion and time has come to hold them responsible for active connivance in such activities of violation of the coastal zone regulations etc,” the court said in its formal orders.
Referring to state’s affidavit, the court asked the chief secretary as to why the document was silent on how much time the authorities need to comply with court’s demolition order. “A lopsided picture is being given to us. We don’t understand what is happening. This is a blatant breach of law... ,” the court said.
On Salve’s request the court gave time to the chief secretary to file an affidavit before Friday outlining the concrete plan of action the state has in mind.