The Hindu 27.12.2013
Demolition of building resumes
Following the disposal of writ petitions by the Madras High Court, officials from the Local Planning Authority (LPA) with assistance from the Corporation and police resumed the demolition of the second and third floors of Vigneshwar Cresta building on Avanashi Road. A fire that broke out in the building on April 25 this year claimed four lives and left many injured.
Officials from LPA had served a notice on the building owner in April for violations and began demolishing the building. It was stopped after the owner obtained a stay from the Madras High Court.
The court on November 19 had disposed off the writ petitions stating that it would not interfere with regard to the second and third floors which were not in consonance with the approved building plan.
It directed the Member Secretary of LPA to consider a fresh appeal, if any, filed by the building owner in respect of ground and first floor, by merit and in accordance with the law.
Consequently, the building owner had filed an appeal before the Member Secretary on December 10 seeking regularisation of the building, sources said.
While the appeal regarding the ground and first floor is under consideration, District Collector Archana Patnaik, who is also the Chairperson of the LPA, on December 24 ordered the demolition of the second and third floors.
The order was sent to the building owner by post.
The decision came in the wake of the Fire and Rescue Services Department denying No Objection Certificate to the building for failure to comply with 10 conditions, and the Public Works Department in its stability certificate declaring that the structure was not fit for occupation.
The Coimbatore Corporation had also turned down the application from the petitioner seeking regularisation of the building, under the provisions of the Government Order No 234 and 235. The LPA in its reply stated that the approved building plan of December 22, 1999, was for industrial use but the same had now been turned into a commercial building.
The demolition began on Thursday amid tight police security under the supervision of Member Secretary of LPA S. Chandrasekharan. It is expected to be completed in a day or two.
