SC Upholds Demolition of Illegal Buildings in Kerala’s Vembanad

A three-judge Bench confirmed the High Court decision that the constructions violate coastal regulations.

The demolition of the illegal Maradu apartment complexes in Kochi began shortly after 11 am on Saturday, 11 January, when the H2O Holyfaith apartment tower was razed to the ground.

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court on Friday, 10 January, dismissed the appeals filed by Kapico Kerala Resorts Private Limited against a Kerala High Court order for the removal of structures on backwater islands on Vembanad lake in Alappuzha district.

The dramatic vision of luxury apartment complexes coming crashing down in seconds, in a highly controlled demolition process in Cochin, will not be the last one in Kerala.

According to a report in The Hindu, a three-judge Bench confirmed the High Court decision that the constructions violate coastal and environmental regulations.

The court had ordered the Centre or the coastal authorities to ensure that the encroachments are removed in three months.

Background

In 2013, Kerala High Court had allowed petitions filed by conservationists, societies, trade unions, workers, and traditional fishermen, against the development of resorts on the two backwater islands of Vettila Thuruthu and Nediyathuruthu on Vembanad Lake. Kerala Hight Court had held the action initiated under the Land Conservancy Act for removal of encroachments by concerned authorities must continue.

It also ordered that Kapico Resorts should not carry out any further construction in these locations and later ordered the government to remove the unauthorised structures.

Subsequently, the review petitions filed against the 2013 judgment were dismissed and the demolition of the unauthorised constructions was ordered. This was challenged in the Supreme Court. 

According to a report submitted by the state government to the HC in October 2019, about 625 constructions along Vembanad Lake in Ernakularm, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts had been served noticed to be demolished, reported The News Minute.

(With inputs from The Hindu and The News Minute)