Maradu Flats: Supreme Court pulls up Kerala Chief Secretary for failing to check illegal constructions

The Supreme Court today said that it will pass a detailed order in relation to the case concerning the demolition of Maradu flats on Friday while rebuking the Kerala Chief Secretary for illegal constructions mushrooming in Kerala..Justice Arun Mishra, who was heading the Bench, also comprising the newly appointed Judge, Justice Ravindra Bhat, slammed the Chief Secretary for illegal constructions coming up in Kerala while it has still not fully recovered from the devastating floods that ravaged the State last year..“There is loss of life and property, thousands of people have died in the devastation… how many houses have you built for the victims? But there are illegal constructions in prohibited places.”.Expressing severe displeasure with the way in which illegal constructions were being dealt with, the Court also said that responsibility for the devastation will have to be fixed..“You are playing with nature. Kerala has suffered a colossal loss. The entire country, even we have contributed after the loss. Still illegal structures are coming up. We are going to fix the responsibility now“, Justice Mishra said to the Chief Secretary..He added that a survey of the coastal stretch should be conducted to see the number of illegal structures in the area..Further, the Court observed that the officials who have allowed for such illegal constructions to come up need to be identified. It noted that the 350 families whose lives are under uncertainty owing to the Court-ordered demolition of the flats will be the worst affected on account of such erring officials..Pulling up Chief Secretary, the Court also said that the affidavit filed has not even specified the time that will be required for complying with the orders of the Court, but has only stated that steps have been taken..“A lopsided picture is being given to us. We don’t understand what is happening. This is a blatant breach of law… You people are responsible because you have not been able to curb illegal constructions.”.Senior Advocate Harish Salve appeared for the Kerala Government today..The Supreme Court in its order of May 8 had directed for all the buildings to be removed from the Maradu area that was made in violation of the CRZ regulations. At the time, the demolition was directed to be completed within a period of one month from the date of the judgment. With no steps being taken in this direction, earlier this month, the Supreme Court set the deadline on September 20 for the purpose of complying with the order of demolition of the Maradu flats..The matter is listed for Friday when the Court will pass detailed order..[Read Order]