The latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on local self-government institutions in Kerala tabled in the Assembly on Monday has come down heavily on the city Corporation for issuing permits for buildings violating various provisions and for failing to take concrete action when violations were noticed, in the period between 2011-12 and 2014-15.
During this period, only six out of the 367 unauthorised constructions recorded by the Revenue section and only 59 out of the 634 notified by the Engineering sections were acted upon. The report cites a number of constructions in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) without the approval of the Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA), some of which were done based on permits issued by the Corporation. The Corporation had not taken any action in respect to these violations except issuing notices, says the report.
In November 2013, the Government forwarded to the Corporation Secretary details of 17 constructions in Vizhnjam area which violated CRZ norms. The special squads formed by the Corporation to detect similar constructions had identified 120 constructions, which violated CRZ norms. The Corporation in March 2014 issued Provisional Orders for removing unauthorised constructions in respect to 49 of these cases. But no other action other than issuing notices was taken, says the report.
In the case of Heera developers' residential apartment with 21 floors in Attipra Village, for which the Corporation issued permit in 2008, it was found that the local body had not sought the approval of CZMA before issuing the permit. The building is located close to the Veli Lake tidal inlet, within 100 metres of the high tide line in the 'No development zone'. Two other projects by the same builder were found in the 'No development area'. The Corporation Secretary did not take any action to stop the construction despite prior intimation from the CZMA, says the report.
Based on a report by the Chief Town Planner (Vigilance), the Government had in 2010 directed for the cancellation of permits and removal of the constructions at the Beach Hotel- Oasis Cafe Restaurant and the Sagara Beach Resort in Kovalam, for violating CRZ norms. However, following the Corporation’s laxity in issuing notices, the cases are still pending in the tribunal.
In the major shopping centres located on the MG Road, it was found that a portion of the cellar parking floor as well as the mandatory open space have been converted for other purposes. The CAG lists our Pothys, Big Bazaar, Kalyan Sarees, Paramount, Premier Office Equipment, Jayalekshmi Silks, Maharajas Textiles, Lens and Frames, Planet Fashion, Rajadhani Towers and Sreedhanya Office building.
Another case is that of the foot overbridge across a PWD road constructed by the KIMS hospital for connecting two blocks of the hospital, without obtaining permit from the Corporation. The Corporation has allowed the bridge to remain without being demolished.
In the case of the Shopping mall cum residential apartment by Artech Realtors in Pattoor, it was found that the construction activities were going on unimpeded, in violation of the directions of the High Court, when physical verification was conducted in December 2015. No action taken by the Corporation to stop the construction.
The report also mentions the much publicised case of the Windsor Rajadhani Hotel at Kowdiar, in which the floors from 9 to 12 were built without the Corporation's permit. Though the Corporation levied property tax for the unauthorised construction too, it has not been paid. The local body has not taken any steps to realize the tax amount.
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