Real estate developer DLF, which has been ordered by a single-judge bench of the Kerala High Court to tear down parts of its multi-crore lakeside apartment complex at Chilavannoor here, has challenged the order before a division bench.
The single judge found that DLF had constructed the upmarket apartment complex in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
The appeal petition challenged the findings of the single judge that the company did not possess a valid CRZ clearance as the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority was not authorised to issue such clearance. It also contended the finding that the DLF project had not been cleared by Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority.
The DLF appeal noted that the Ministry of Environment and Forests had said the KCZMA was only a recommendatory authority which can only forward recommendations to the SEIAA which was the final authority to give CRZ clearance. SEIAA had not been set up when DLF applied for environmental clearance, it was contended.