The all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the Supreme Court verdict to demolish 344 flats in Maradu in Kochi, on Tuesday, echoed unanimous sentiments against the eviction of people living in these flats and to explore legal options to prevent the demolition.
All the political parties except the CPI, the major ally of the CPI(M) in the ruling Left Democratic Front, urged to seek all possible legal options for not demolishing the flats. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shared the same opinion. The CM assured that all possible legal steps will be taken to protect the flat owners.
The meeting also decided to send an all-party delegation to communicate with the union government on the issue. The deadline given by the Supreme Court to demolish the flats ends on September 20.
The CM pointed out that the Centre has the prerogative to give relaxation in such issues as per the Environmental Protection Act.
'It has been requested to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to bring the environmental impact of demolishing the flats to the attention of the Supreme Court. The demand of the state is that the Ministry of Environment should be a party in the case. All attempts for not demolishing the flats will be done after convincing and with the approval of the Supreme Court," said a statement issued by the CM on the all-party meet.
The all-party meet also unanimously suggested holding the builders accountable on the issue. The government will also examine if the builders can be blacklisted.
"The government's stand is to protect the people living in the flats while action should be taken against those who violated the law. Builders have the prime responsibility in the issue and the first wrongdoing was granting permission for construction. The demand to seek compensation from builders is apt, and the government will examine what can be done in this regard,” the statement adds.
IIT Chennai had been assigned to study the environmental impact of demolition of the flats, and the report warns that it would adversely impact nature, the buildings nearby, canals, trees and plants.
There would also be air pollution in a one-kilometre radius. The report also states that removing the debris of the buildings will be a huge task.
"The government won’t support constructions that violate environmental protection laws. Hence, there should be a suitable intervention at the beginning itself to prevent such violations," the statement says.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said in the meeting that people living in the flats should be protected on humanitarian grounds, should get compensation from the builders, and that action should be taken against those who granted permission.
CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that there should not be any leniency towards the builders while there should be compassion for those living in the flats.
“The people who are staying in these apartments include retired people, middle-income people, pensioners and so on. These people were not aware of the issues. We requested the government to take up the issue with the Centre. We are demanding the implementation of SC verdict with caution just like we did for the Sabarimala issue,” Chennithala told media persons after the meeting.
Meanwhile, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said that there should be some legislation to compel the builders to give compensation to the flat owners.
“It is not the duty of the government to give compensation. The government is far from the problem. Demolishing the buildings is the verdict of the SC and we have to obey that. The government has obeyed the SC verdict in so many cases, so how can we not obey in this particular case? Anyway, the government is examining the various possibilities regarding the case,” he told media.
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