Maradu flats row: SC-constituted committee sanctions Rs 25 lakh each to 20 claim petitioners

Rs 25 lakh each to 20 claim petitioners was sanctioned by the Supreme Court-appointed committee in Maradu flats demolition case on Saturday. The bench of the apex court also issued warning stressing that the Chief Secretary of Kerala would be personally held liable if he fails to implement the court's orders.

Kochi: The Supreme Court-appointed committee in Maradu flats demolition case on Saturday sanctioned Rs 25 lakh each to 20 claim petitioners.

The three-member panel is headed by Justice K Balakrishnan Nair and comprised of Jose Cyriac K and R Murukesan.

"Today (November 2), the Committee considered 24 claim petitions submitted by 20 flat owners. It means that one of the claim petitioners submitted five claim petitions in relation to five flats owned by him. For the present, we are sanctioning only Rs 25 lakhs for the said five flats as the owner is only one person," said Justice Nair.

"All the claim petitioners (total 20 in number) are eligible to get Rs 25 lakhs each... The state government may pay Rs 25 lakhs each to all the aforementioned 20 persons without delay," Justice Nair added. The apex court had earlier reiterated that all flat owners should be given at least Rs 25 lakhs each and asked builders to deposit Rs 20 crore within a period of one month.

The Supreme Court had on September 23 slammed the Kerala government for allegedly allowing multi-storey buildings in coastal zones illegally and said that it will fix responsibility on those erring officials involved in such kind of constructions.

The bench of the apex court also issued warning stressing that the Chief Secretary of Kerala would be personally held liable if he fails to implement the court's orders.

As many as 400 flats will be demolished on the court's order.