NGT curb on site allotment in Baliyatra ground challenged in HC

Cuttack: Challenging the directive of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which has asked the district administration to stop allotment of sites on Mahanadi river bed in Talapadia (the lower area of Baliyatra ground) for setting up of stalls for the ensuing Baliyatra, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed by the Cuttack Nrutyotsav Committee in the Orissa High Court.

Talking to media persons today, Cuttack Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said though the district administration has not received any written order from the NGT, the latter has intimated the administration not to allot any area on Mahanadi river bed in the lower area of Baliyatra ground for construction of structures for stalls for ensuing festival. The Tribunal has also asked the administration to file a show cause in response to its order within a week.

Asked whether NGT has asked not to construct permanent structures on the river bed, Mishra said there is no question of construction of permanent structures in this area. Since Baliyatra is an annual festival which is held for week, no permanent structures are made at this venue.

To a question on whether the NGT has expressed its resentment over the apathy of the district administration for not carrying out its order earlier, the Collector said the Tribunal has reacted over the petition filed in this regard. The administration had given its compliance to the order of the Tribunal that there would be no dumping of garbage near the river bank. To abide by the order of the Tribunal, we had put up barricades and notice boards alongside the river bank adjacent to the river bed (Talapadia).

Replying to another question as to whether the Tribunal has asked not to put up any stall on the Talapadia, Mishra said the administration is now examining legal recourse to the order of the Tribunal. “We have not encroached the venue as this is a weeklong festival. We will take legal recourse since the festival is innately associated with the culture of the city since time immemorial. But as per the NGT order, there would be no stall or any activity in Talapadia during Baliyatra this year,” he added.

Also read: ‘More emphasis on fire safety during Bali Yatra’

Following the NGT notice, the allotment of sites at Talapadia which had begun on Tuesday, was stopped yesterday.

Notably, the NGT, in its earlier order, had asked the district administration to refrain from activities like filling up the river bed and dumping of garbage and debris. Besides, it had also directed to make the area free from encroachment.