Man moves SC over Maradu flats demolition

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) A man, a resident of a building adjacent to the flats that will be demolished in Maradu, Karala, has moved the Supreme Court expressing fear that razing of the apartment complex through implosion or explosion without proper planning may cause collateral damage.

The petitioner said his life and property was in danger as the Kerala government was planning to demolish the adjacent apartment complex.

Claiming that they had been residing in a house on a plot adjacent to the said superstructure for the last 66 years, the petitioner said the the respondent state government must look into the damage the demolition could cause.

He said no proper mapping of the neighbouring areas had been done despite that the apartment complex was located in thickly populated area with other houses, anganwadis and commercial establishments.

The petitioner has submitted that the government was only concerned about builders and owners of the apartment and not the neighbourhood. As the roads in the area were narrow, it would be impossible for emergency services, like fire-fighters, to reach the spot, he said.

Also, he submitted the government had not conducted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) on the neighbourhood and ecologically-fragile water bodes located within 200 meters of the structure. He demanded an EIA by experts before the demolition of the structure.

He has also sought direction from the top court to builders to pay for restoration and restitution of environment damages and degradation caused by the project.

At the Maradu complex, comprising 356 flats in five buildings, 240 families are staying. The apex court had, on September 6, ordered its demolition by September 20 for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.