Maradu seeks SC nod for construction at demolition site

Kochi: Maradu municipality has expressed its readiness to issue permits for new constructions at the site where four illegal apartment complexes were demolished in 2022, subject to Supreme Court's (SC) approval for development in the area. This comes in response to the recent observations made by the apex court regarding the demolition.According to reports, SC had recently observed that the case against Maradu apartment complexes, which were found to have violated coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms, should have been resolved by imposing a heavy fine on flat owners instead of demolition."In the light of the latest observation by the apex court, the municipality is willing to give a permit at the exact location if the court gives consent," said municipality chairperson Antony Ashanparambil. It was on Sept 23 that the forest department approved the draft coastal zone management plan (CZMP) submitted by Kerala, which gives relaxation to local bodies in the state by reducing the restriction zone from 200m to 50m.Municipality officials also pointed out that the delay in approving draft CZMP so as to include the region in CRZ-2 category has hindered several important projects within their jurisdiction, and there was a decline in investments in the region. Ashanparambil noted that CRZ norms are revised every five years, and currently, govt has approved CRZ surveys conducted in 2019, indicating a five-year lag in the approval of the laws.