The petition states that the pollution control mechanism was not followed during the demolition and removal of debris.
The South Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a report from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) on the alleged environmental damage caused by the demolition of Maradu Apartments.
It was on a petition filed by the Council for Environment Protection and Research, Thiruvananthapuram that the Bench passed the order.
The quorum of the tribunal comprising Justices K Ramakrishnan and K Satyagopal asked the board to file the report before October 4. The board will also ascertain whether there is any damage to the mangrove vegetation in the area after the demolition. If the cause is to be found, the board should state the nature of the damage caused by the demolition, the tribunal directed.
The apartment complexes of Alpha Serene, Golden Kayaloram, H2O Holy Faith and Jain Coral Cove were brought down last year.
The petitioner submitted that the pollution control mechanism as mandated by the Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016, was not followed during the demolition and removal of debris from Maradu Apartments, causing huge environmental damage.
The Supreme Court, which ordered demolition of apartments in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules, did not address the question of environmental damage caused by the construction of apartments. Instead, it considered the CRZ violations alone and directed the demolition under the rules, the complainant submitted.
The petitioner approached the Tribunal with a prayer that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change or any other agency under it should restore the environment in the areas specified by law and the cost of ecological restoration recovered from the builders of apartment complexes. It sought a direction from the tribunal to pay environmental compensation to builders by a committee of experts or as a percentage of the project cost so that it acts as a deterrent against environmental destruction.
The tribunal has fixed October 4 for hearing the cases.
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