As the din over the illegally constructed DLF Riverside project is yet to subside, yet another case of a major Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violation by a prominent builder in Kochi has surfaced.
‘‘The construction of Choice Marina was made without obtaining the CRZ clearance as per CRZ notification dated January 6,” according to a subcommittee of the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA).
The committee has also concluded that the “Floor Area Ratio (FAR) stipulation as per CRZ notification was violated during the reconstruction of the existing building. The building was made as residential flat with 11 storeys.” The twin tower project has come up at Palluruthy in West Kochi.
The CRZ violations by DLF at its Chilavannur project and the subsequent order of the High Court of Kerala to the builder to pay a fine of ₹1 crore had stirred up a controversy in the State. After the public outcry against the High Court order, the KCZMA and the State government had decided to go in appeal against the order in the Supreme Court.
In case of Choice Marina, the KCZMA appointed the subcommittee to inspect the site following a direction from the High Court.
On a petition from the builder, the court had directed the authority to conduct inspection of the premises after serving notices on the builder, Choice Marina Constructions, and Kochi Corporation.
The court also ordered the authority to pass orders within two weeks of the inspection either granting No Objection Certificate or reject it with clear reasoning. The building has been completed and is awaiting electric connection and occupancy certificate.
The panel consisting of N.R. Menon, a member of the authority, and Kamalakshan Kokkal, senior principal scientist of the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment, has found that the building was lying in the CRZ 2 category. A small floating jetty was found built on the reclaimed portion of the land leased from the Cochin Port Trust.
In its conclusion, the panel said the builder had “claimed that the nine cents of land abutting the kayal (backwaters) was reclaimed by the Cochin Port Trust and given under lease to Cochin Marina.”
While concluding that the construction of the project was made without obtaining the mandatory CRZ clearances, the panel pointed out that the permit for the construction of the building was issued by the Cochin Corporation in 2008.
The CRZ 2011 notification states that for buildings permitted in the CRZ 2 zone shall be cleared “subject to the existing local town and country planning regulations, including the existing norms of Floor Space Index or Floor Area Ratio.
