The evicted families of the Maradu apartments, who have been sanctioned interim compensation by a Supreme Court-appointed panel, started to file affidavits to the local body as the final step towards receiving temporary relief.
As of now, the interim relief has been sanctioned for 107 families out of the evicted 326 families of four apartment complexes – Alfa Serene, Jain Corals Cove, Golden Kayaloram and H20 Holy Faith. The Supreme Court ordered the demolition of the buildings as they violate Coastal Regulation Zone norms.
While the SC-appointed panel had earlier stated that affidavits need not be submitted, Sub Collector Snehil Kumar Singh on Saturday said that flat owners would have to submit affidavits.
Though it was a Sunday, the Maradu municipality was operational and many residents filed affidavits specifying their bank details. The residents who filed the affidavits will start receiving compensation from Monday onwards.
According to members of the panel headed by Justice Balakrishnan Nair, the affidavit is necessary in order to ensure that recompense money goes to the concerned person.
According to sources, two builders also filed a report as directed by the panel on the amount paid by the residents for the apartments.
Meanwhile, the special investigation team of Crime Branch probing the case stated that another accused will soon be arrested. Reportedly, the fourth accused in the case Jairam Naik, a former official of the then Maradu panchayat, is absconding. Three persons – Sany Francis, MD of Holy Faith Builders and Developers Private Limited, and two former officials of panchayat, Mohammed Ashraf and PE Joseph, have been arrested and are currently in police custody.
Meanwhile, the companies Edifice Engineering and Vijay Steels & Explosives, which have been charged with the demolition, started to dismantle parts of the apartments, such as windows, on Saturday. According to reports, the apartment interiors will be demolished before the controlled implosion takes place. As per reports, companies will also file a detailed report on the demolition to government within 10 days.
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