350 flats to go as SC orders demolition of four illegal buildings in Kochi

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the demolition of around 350 flats (four buildings) built in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms in the Maradu municipality limits in Ernakulam district, Kerala.

The SC also asked the Maradu municipality to raze the structures and submit an action taken report in one month. The order noted that the Maradu panchayat (which was later made a municipality) had granted permission for the construction in 2006-07 without informing the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, a report on Onmanorama said.

An SC bench headed by Justice Arun Misra said Kerala cannot withstand natural calamities caused due to illegal constructions. The state had suffered the worst floods in a century in 2018.