Builders' kin seek SC-appointed panel help for compensation

Relatives of two builders who had constructed the illegal apartment complex here on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Balakrishnan Nair panel, claiming compensation for the flats they owned in the structures being demolished.

Last week, the Supreme Court hadasked the Kerala government to give Rs 25 lakh each as interim compensation to the owners of Maradu flats being demolished on the courts orders for violation of environmental norms after it was informed they had been given a lower amount.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat has asked the builders of the flats to deposit Rs 20 crore within one month with the court-appointed committee.

 

"...the son and daughter of two builders in respect of a flat complex have submitted applications claiming compensation, as also Rs 25 lakh as interim compensation," the three-member committee said during its proceedings here.

The committee deferred their cases for hearing them before taking the final decision.

This would be heard along with some other matters in which hearing is necessary before a final decision is taken, the committee said.

The top court has said that the attached bank account of the builders would be detached for depositing the amount.

The bench has also asked builders to submit their banking details in the affidavit to the court.

The court has also asked the committee to assess the documentary proof of payments made by flat owners to builders after some home buyers told the bench that they had paid more than Rs 25 lakh to the developers.

Following the SC directive, the three-member committee announced a revised list of 157 flat owners who would be eligible for Rs 25 lakh compensation.

Last month, the Supreme Court had directed demolition of four apartment complexes within 138 days, a time-line given by the Kerala government.

On May 8, the apex court had directed that the buildings be removed within a month as they were constructed in a notified CRZ, which was part of the tidally-influenced water body in Kerala.

The court had passed the order after taking note of a report of a three-member committee, which said when the buildings were built, the area was already notified as a CRZ and construction was prohibited.