With just two more weeks left for the demolition of the four apartment complexes in Maradu, officials of Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) held the last round of examinations of the buildings on Thursday, 26 December. According to officials, the explosives required to demolish the apartment buildings will reach Kochi by Monday, 30 December.
The demolition of the four apartment complexes — H2O Holy Faith apartments, Golden Kayaloram, Jains Coral Cove and the twin towers of Alfa Serene apartments — was ordered by the Supreme Court since they were constructed in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
Inspecting the pre-demolition works of the buildings, Dr R Venugopal, Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives of PESO, told media that explosives will be filled up in the buildings starting from 3 January. “The buildings will be demolished in a scientific way using highly precise explosives which have been quality controlled,” Dr Venugopal said.
It has been decided that the apartment buildings will be razed down on 11 and 12 January.
“Once the explosives are put inside the buildings, nobody will be allowed to enter the premises. We will precisely decide the accurate amount of explosives to be filled up in the buildings after examining the soil.”Dr Venugopal
The explosives are being brought from a Nagpur-based firm. According to sources, emulsion explosives of ammonium nitrate mixture will be the main component of the explosives. Holes to fill in the explosives have already been drilled in the buildings as part of the preparatory works of demolition.
As an extra precaution, the Indian Oil Corporation’s pipeline which passes by H2O Holy Faith apartments will be filled with water prior to the demolition.
About 326 families of the four apartment complexes were evicted based on the Supreme Court order. The apex court had recommended that the families be given an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh. Each apartment is estimated to cost between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore.
The four apartment complexes received permission for construction before 2005, that is, when Maradu was a gram panchayat and when the region was classified as CRZ-III, where any construction is illegal.
(Published in arrangement with The News Minute)
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