“Without power and water, how can we live here? We will have to move out,” said an upset Paul, a resident of one of the four Kochi apartments that have been ordered to be demolished by the Supreme Court for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules. This time, his eyes lacked the glimmer of hope with which the apartment residents usually spoke while responding to queries on the issue. The residents have finally started to feel the heat of the demolition order passed on May 8.
With the deadline to demolish the apartment complexes in Maradu municipality by September 20, officials had issued residents notices to vacate their houses. On Monday, the Chief Secretary of Kerala appealed to extend the demolition deadline by three more months. The Kerala government, in the meantime, has initiated the eviction process on Tuesday.
Initiating the eviction procedures, the local body on Tuesday directed Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to disconnect power and water supply to the 344 apartments. The KSEB officials, in turn, pasted a notice at the entrance of the apartment buildings on Wednesday, stating that power supply to the building will be disconnected on Thursday.
Despite repeated criticisms from the Supreme Court for not following its demolition orders, and with support from major political parties, the residents of four apartment buildings – H2O Holy Faith, Alfa Serene, Golden Kayaloram and Jains Coral Cove – had been hopeful that they won’t be evicted from their homes. But with the threat of power and water supply being disconnected, many residents appear to have lost their last shred of hope.
“We feel insecure now. How can we even move our furniture and other belongings out of our homes if the power is disconnected? Does that mean even the elevators won’t be available?” asks Issac Pattaniparambil, a resident of H2O Holy Faith.
Meanwhile, a section of residents is still standing strong, saying that they won’t move out of their homes at any cost.
The residents have even started storing water, fearing disconnection of water supply. “Whatever happens, we will not move out of our homes. We are storing water in case they will actually disconnect water. We also have generators as back-up and hope that we can meet the electricity need if the supply is disconnected,” said George Kovoor, s resident of Jains Coral Cove.
Meanwhile, Fort Kochi Sub Collector Snehil Kumar Singh took charge as the secretary of Maradu Municipality on Wednesday, on the order of the Kerala government, to oversee the demolition of the four apartment buildings.
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