Residents of the illegal Maradu apartments began moving out of their homes on Sunday as the authorities turned down their request for more time for evacuation.
The evacuation process will have to be completed by October 3, as submitted by the State government in the Supreme Court.
The State plans to begin the demolition of the buildings, as ordered by the Supreme Court, on October 11.
Though the residents launched a hunger strike at H2O apartments in the morning demanding more time and financial aid for moving household goods, the district administration refused to budge, forcing them to withdraw the protest in the afternoon.
Time-bound
Citing the time-line approved by the Supreme Court, the authorities said the evacuation process, which began on Sunday, would have to be completed as per schedule.
The authorities promised to take up the demand for ₹1 lakh each for the residents towards shifting expenses. They also wanted the government to pay the rent for the apartments that have been identified for rehabilitating them. The government should not act as a real estate broker but a facilitator for supporting the apartment owners who have lost their homes, said Shamsudheen Karunagappally, convenor of the action council.
The representatives of apartment owners raised the demands at a meeting with District Collector S. Suhas and Sub Collector Snehil Kumar Singh. District Police Chief (Kochi City) Vijay Sakre was also present.
However, a senior government official said such demands could not be accepted, and that the expenses for shifting goods and rent of apartments would have to be borne by the residents.
With the authorities toughening their stance on evacuation, the residents called off their protest, saying that they shall vacate their homes before the deadline. Power and water supply to the apartments were restored by Sunday afternoon to facilitate the evacuation. Mini lorries hired by the residents were seen waiting outside the apartments to transport household utensils on the day.
Additional charge
Meanwhile, the State government has issued an order asking former Maradu Municipal Secretary M. Arif Muhammed Khan to hold the additional charge of Maradu municipality. Mr. Khan was transferred to Piravom municipality on Saturday after the government appointed Snehil Kumar Singh, the Fort Kochi RDO, as Secretary of the municipality to take forward the demolition plan.
Mr. Singh, an IAS officer, had refused to attend the meeting of the Maradu municipal council and involve himself in the routine activities of the local body, which led to protests from civic representatives.
