Demolition of a luxury resort facing the Vembanad Lake in Alappuzha district of Kerala began on Thursday.
The Supreme Court in 2020 ordered the demolition of the Kapico Resorts situated on Panavalli Nediyathuruthu, a small island, owing to Coastal Regulation Zone violations.
The resort authorities are carrying out the demolition under the supervision of the district administration so as to ensure that the debris will not be abandoned in Vembanad lake, the second largest Ramsar site in India. It would take at least six months to demolish the resort and clear the land.
Spread over 5,900 square feet, the star-rated resort was having luxurious villas and amenities like a swimming pool. The SC order to demolish the resort came after a year-long legal battle. The Kerala High Court in 2013 prohibited the resort at the island citing violation of Kerala Coastal Zone Management Plan and Coastal Regulation Zone notifications. The resort authorities approached the SC against it.