A Supreme Court committee, chaired by former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan, on Monday blamed the Kerala government, its officials, Maradu grama panchayat, municipality and local self-government institutions as well for the illegal constructions raised in violation of stringent coastal zone norms.
“While the builders cannot but be held responsible for the illegal construction of the buildings, which have already been razed to the ground, the Government of Kerala, as also the Maradu grama panchayat, the Maradu municipality, the officials of the State government and the local self-government institutions are responsible for raising the constructions to the stage up which they came up by the time they were ordered to be demolished by the Supreme Court,” the committee report concluded.
The Justice Radhakrishnan committee was constituted by the Supreme Court in May to conduct an enquiry and identify who is “responsible” for clearing the Maradu high-rise residential apartments, which were razed to the ground on the court’s orders in 2019.
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