The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to lodge criminal cases against the builders of the five apartment complexes in Kochi that await demolition for violating Coastal Regulation Zone norms.

It also decided to recover from the builders the compensation to be paid to the flat owners.

It’s not clear, however, what action would be taken against the officials who had granted permission for the buildings, erected too close to a prime water body.

The long-delayed, Supreme Court-ordered demolition is to start on October 4 and must be finished by December 4. The rubble must be removed by December 19.

Wednesday’s decisions came after chief secretary Tom Jose briefed the state cabinet on Monday’s proceedings at the Supreme Court, which had questioned the delay and rebuked the state.

On Friday, the state will submit its action plan for the demolition before the court.

The buildings awaiting demolition are Holy Faith H2O, Jain Coral Cove, twin complexes built by Alfa Ventures, and Golden Kayaloram. The then Maradu panchayat, which later became a municipality, had cleared the buildings in 2005 in violation of CRZ rules.

The Supreme Court had on May 8 ordered the state to demolish the buildings in 30 days. But after a different bench gave the residents some relief, the court on September 6 set a demolition deadline of September 20.

Within hours of the state government’s decisions on Wednesday, the local bodies notified the withdrawal of all utilities to the apartments. Electricity board officials, accompanied by policemen, pasted notices at each of the buildings saying power would be disconnected by Thursday noon.

Bejoy Chennat, who owns a flat at Holy Faith H2O, appeared emotional as he spoke to The Telegraph.

“The government has finally said it will book the builders. But why aren’t they acting against the officials who granted the permissions to construct these buildings?” Chennat said.

“This talk of booking the builders is just drama, meant to throw dust in people’s eyes.”

Chennat said the authorities had informed the occupants they would soon begin removing the cooking cylinders and snapping the water connections.

“The government has to realise there are children, women, old and ailing people in these buildings,” he said.

The police, emergency services and the district authorities have been asked to start working immediately to clear the buildings by October 3.

Chennat said all the residents were determined to stay put: “We will light lanterns and buy water bottles but won’t move out.”

A previous notice to vacate the buildings, issued two to three weeks ago, had proved ineffective as the residents staged a sit-in and the government balked at physically removing them.

Tenders will be floated by Friday, inviting companies with expertise in controlled demolition. Sources said several companies had already expressed an interest.

Fort Kochi sub-collector Snehilkumar Singh has been put in charge of the demolition and debris-clearing.

Politicians across parties had earlier rushed to stand by the flat owners, some of them well-known Malayalam film actors.