Kochi: Residents near the four high-rise apartment complexes, demolished on Saturday and Sunday, will have to wait for a few more days to get back to normal life.
They are relieved about the fact the controlled implosion of the buildings did not cause any damage to their houses. However, taming the dust emanating from the debris remains a challenge before them now.
Residents near the Holy Faith H2O flats at Kundannur staged a protest at the Maradu municipality office on Monday alleging that the authorities did not keep the promise to douse the dust. By evening, the residents were seen drenching their houses in water even as employees of Edifice Engineers, who demolished three apartments, continued to work at the site. Steel rods will be separated from concrete as the first part of clearing the debris.
Neighbours of the Alfa Serene twin towers, who had to vacate their homes ahead of the demolition, have not returned yet. Some of them attempted to clean their dust-covered houses on Monday, though in vain.
Nedumpillil Abhilash, who had come to check the status of his house near Alfa Serene, said some small cracks have been found at the walls of his house. He also said the wooden attic of the house seems to have been damaged.
Seven families, including Abhilash's, could return to their houses only after the removal of the debris. Removal of the debris from Alfa Serene's sites would be the most challenging task as the roads nearby are narrow and the area is thickly populated.
At Jain Coral Cove, the biggest among the four demolished flats, workers were engaged in separating steel rods from concrete. Local people were thronging the site to have a look at the debris and click some photos and videos. The situation is similar at the site of Golden Kayaloram at Kannadikadu.
"This (demolition) is a lesson for the builders. The rampant construction of flats is a major reason for the pollution of Kochi's backwaters," said Joseph, an octogenarian living near the demolished flat complex.
