SC orders demolition of Kapico Resorts on the banks of Vembanad lake, Kapico Resorts

10 January 2020, 11:44 AM IST

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The apex court issued the order rejecting the counter petition by resort owners against the Kerala High Court order which sought to demolish the building.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered demolition of Kapico Kerala Resorts on the banks of Vembanad lake, at Alappuzha in Kerala.

The apex court issued the order rejecting the counter petition by resort owners against the Kerala High Court order which sought to demolish the building. The order comes at a time when the Maradu flats are scheduled to be demolished on Saturday and Sunday.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court had ordered to demolish the Kapico Resorts at Panavally in Nediyathuruthu, which was constructed violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.

The order was issued by Justice V. Ramasubramanian after he and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman heard detailed arguments over the matter. The Maradu flats had also violated CRZ rules.

When Justice K. S. Radhakrishnan was an SC judge, the apex court had registered a suo-moto case regarding violation of CRZ rules on the banks of Vembanad lake. The SC had sought a report from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

It was in this report the violation of CRZ rules by Kapico Kerala Resorts Limited at Nediyathuruthu and Vaamika Island (Green Lagoon) in Vettilathuruthu was mentioned. The report also mentioned rule violations by around 18 buildings in Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts.

Following the report, HC ordered the demolition of Kapico and Vaamika resorts in 2014. While the cottages of Vaamika Island were demolished in 2014, owners of Kapico Resorts challenged the HC order.

Both the state government and the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority took a stance that Kapico Resorts must be demolished.

The notification regarding environment issued in 2011 points out that Vembanad lake was an ecologically sensitive area. Earlier, the state government had clarified that constructions by local residents at Nediyathuruthu was a blatant violation of rules and against public interest.