Kochi: The Maradu municipality on Thursday served notice to the five builders asking them to start demolition of five apartment buildings, as per the Supreme Court order.
The Supreme Court in its May 8 verdict had ordered demolition of five apartments buildings - Holy Faith, Kayaloram, Alfa Ventures, Holiday Heritage and Jain Housing - under the limits of Maradu Municipality, which, the court found, were constructed illegally and have flouted Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
Maradu Municipality Secretary Subash PK said that the notice was issued as the builders have not yet started the demolition procedures.
"The Supreme Court verdict has not said that the municipality has to initiate the demolition procedures. So to comply with the SC order, we served notice as per the Kerala Municipality Building Rules 1999, asking them to start the demolition steps within the time frame given by SC," said Subash.
The civic body's notices come three weeks after the court verdict.
Meanwhile, the residents of the complexes are still hopeful that they will not lose their homes.
"We have given a memorandum to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, we are also goint to give a writ petition to Supreme Court. We have hope that the court will understand the plight of the residents living here," George Kovoor, president of Jain Housing residents association told media.
The residents also allege that the three-member committee constituted by the Supreme Court to study the issue did not consult the residents in the apartment at any point.