The owners of plots and buildings at Girinagar Colony who are either constructing new commercial buildings or converting their residential buildings into commercial ones will be slapped with stop memos because it violates a High Court interim order.
The High Court had restrained the Kochi Corporation and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) from allowing any further conversion and construction for commercial purposes in the colony.
The Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineer and other engineers have been directed to serve stop memos on owners who continue to carry out constructions in violation of the High Court order passed in 2015, according to an affidavit filed by Anuja A.S., Secretary, Kochi Corporation, in the High Court.
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The High Court issued the interim order on a petition filed by Girinagar residents. According to them, Girinagar Colony comes under a planned housing development scheme of the GCDA. It was selected specifically for housing purposes in 1965 and was envisaged as a purely residential area on the land acquired under the detailed town planning scheme for Elamkulam west. The residents had further contended that the detailed town planning scheme still remained in force. Therefore, the land reserved for house plots could not be used for any other purpose.
They also pointed out that the conversion of residential buildings into commercial ones had led to traffic congestion and haphazard parking of vehicles, besides causing air and noise pollution as well as loss of privacy and peace of mind of residents. Moreover, they were severely inconvenienced by the entry of outsiders into the colony on a daily basis.
On issuing new building permits, the Corporation Secretary said it was not intentional or willful. She had no intention to disobey or flout the orders of the High Court.
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In their contempt petition, residents pointed out that despite the interim order, permits were given for construction of commercial buildings and conversion of residential buildings. Even multi-story commercial bundling were coming up in the area. Though they had brought the violations to the notice of the Corporation, it refused to initiate any action against the builders. The affidavit was filed in response to a pending contempt of court petition moved against the GCDA and the Corporation.