The Hindu : Front Page : 5,753 unauthorised structures detected in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

5,753 unauthorised structures detected in State

N.J. Nair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 5,753 unauthorised buildings constructed in violation of the Kerala Municipal Building Rules (KMBR) and the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms have been identified by local self-government institutions across the State . As many as 102 grama panchayats in Malappuram district account for the highest number of unauthorised structures, 1,121. North Paravur municipality alone has 500 cases.

No case has been reported from Kochi Corporation and the four adjoining municipalities from where cases of KMBR and floor area ratio (FAR) violations were detected by the vigilance wing of the Town and Country Planning Department. Malappuram municipality has also not reported any such case so far.

Minister’s directive

Well before the Government started the eviction drive in Munnar, the Local Self-Government Department had launched a clampdown on unauthorised buildings all over the State. Local Administration Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty directed the Corporation, municipal and panchayat secretaries to submit a report before June 15.

Department sources told The Hindu on Monday that one case each was reported from Koyilandy and Taliparamaba panchayats. Out of the 76 cases detected in Kannur, 75 were in 81grama panchayats.

Even before getting the reports from Kochi Corporation and the four adjoining municipalities, 1,474 cases were found in Ernakulam district. This assumed importance as many major construction companies secured clearance from panchayats and started construction in Thrikakkara and its precincts in anticipation of the proposed Smart City project. The layout scrutiny fee in Marad panchayat alone touched Rs.1.80 crore recently, sources said.

Thiruvananthapuram district has 1,302 unauthorised buildings. This includes 910 cases in 78 panchayats, 207 in the corporation limits, 52 in Attingal, 12 in Neyyattinkara, eight in Nedumangad and 113 in Varkala municipalities. As many as 309 cases are of CRZ violations, which have been identified at Kottukal, Vizhinjam, Poovar and Kappil panchayats.

Among the municipalities, only two cases have been reported from Perinthalmanna, three each from Tirur and Manjeri, four each from Vaikom and Ponnani and nine from Kottayam.

Sources said the number of unauthorised buildings was likely to exceed 7,000.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page