Maradu, Kochi: Even as the municipal authorities are proceeding to raze flats here in the wake of a Supreme Court order, it has come to light that clear oversight by them likely precipitated this crisis for their owners. Documents show the Maradu Municipality had assigned 'Unauthorised Number' to two of the four properties set to be demolished in Maradu over violation of Coastal Regulation Zone rules.
UA numbers are given to buildings considered illegal and they are marked 'UA'. The municipality keeps separate files for regular and UA properties.
Proving omission on the part of the civic body, it later issued occupancy certificates despite assigning these numbers.
While giving occupancy certificate, the municipality had stated that it could be revoked in case a court found the construction illegal. The UA numbers were given to two of the properties, named Alpha Serene and Jain's Coral Cove, now under spotlight over imminent demolition.
The other flats set to be demolished here are Golden Kayaloram and Holy Faith H2O.
Meanwhile, a report submitted by a three-member panel consisting the collector, local self-governing body secretary and municipal secretary has claimed all the flats ordered to be demolished had only UA numbers.
The High Court had ordered to provide UA numbers to Golden Kayaloram in 2009 and Holy Faith H2O in 2012. Their documents too were kept among regular files. This might have been deliberately done to help builders soon the court order.
The occupants say builders hid information on approvals from them. They have called for a detailed inquiry into the matter. Builders are solely responsible for legal issues before sale of apartments, they claim.
Meanwhile, NG Abhilash, a person living next to Alpha Serene property, has moved the Supreme Court seeking study on environmental impacts before the structures’ demolition.
As reported earlier, a report submitted by the IIT, Madras, warns of environmental and health hazards of demolishing the high-rises in Maradu. The state government has to take necessary precautions against such possible dangers. Waste and dust generated in the process have lethal effect on nature, the report states.
