Kochi: The owners of four apartment complexes in Maradu, facing demolition for violation of Coastal Regulation Zone norms, finally agreed to vacate the flats by October 3 following talks with the district collector and other officials here on Sunday.
The district administration identified and prepared a list of 521 flats across the city for rehabilitating the families while promising to pay the interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh in two weeks. The owners can choose their preference from the list.
"We understood that the government has no other option than to carry out the apex court verdict. We agreed to vacate provided the government consider our demands..," said Mr Shamsudheen Karunagappally, a flat owner and president of Maradu Bhavana Samrakshana Samiti, soon after the meeting held at the Ernakulam Guest House.
The demands include release of Rs 1 lakh each to evicted families in advance to facilitate them pay rent and security amount for new flats. "The district administration promised to write to the state government on this. This will be in addition to the interim compensation amount which they promised to credit to our bank accounts in another two weeks," he said.
The flat owners, during the meet, asked authorities to ensure measures to evaluate each flat on the basis of current market price for arriving at final compensation. They were promised that the assessment will be made by a three-member panel appointed by the apex court before demolition.
"We asked them to hand over the properties, where the buildings stand, after clearing debris within three months of demolition. The undivided property is registered in the names of flat owners," Mr Shamsudheen said.
However, the authorities are yet to give any assurance with regard to another demand of owners that the government should meet rent of new accommodation facilities.
The authorities promised that no force would be used for evacuation and that an eviction notice will be issued at the earliest.Post talks, a group of flat owners who protested before Holy Faith H2O apartment, one of the affected buildings, called off the strike. Jayakumar Vallikavu, a flat owner, had started an indefinite hunger strike in the morning.
Meanwhile, flat owners said they are still hopeful of the apex court considering their curative petition already filed before .
