Facing demolition, 350 flat owners in Kochi get support

KOCHI — A former union minister and a judge on Thursday came out in support of 350 flat owners of the Maradu apartment complex located in Kerala’s Kochi, which the Supreme Court has ordered to be demolished by September 20 for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.

The apex court has also asked the chief secretary to be present before the Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on September 23.

Former judge of the Kerala High Court Kemal Pasha, who visited the apartment complex on Thursday, said the state government is morally responsible to provide all help and assistance to the flat owners. “These flat owners have not violated any rules, as they have paid every tax to the state government before they got the flats. Hence, the state government is morally liable to provide all the necessary help to these people,” said Pasha.

Senior Congress leader and former union minister of environment Jairam Ramesh wrote in his Twitter handle that the Supreme Court has ordered demolition of the apartments in Kochi. “Yet, in similar case of violation it imposed penalty on DLF and regularised it. It had stayed the demolition of Adarsh housing complex in Mumbai. Why such differential treatment?,” asked Ramesh.

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded that both the Centre and the state government should adopt a humane approach in this case and help the flat owners. —