Cuttack, Nov 3: The Cuttack Nrutyotsav Committee has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Orissa High Court to challenge 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 Baliyatraa.
Although the dist admin is yet to receive any order form the NGT. Cuttack Collector, Nirmal Chandra Mishra informed this to the media today. Related to the order, the Tribunal has directed the administration to file a show cause within a week. When Mishra was asked as to whether NGT has directed to not to make any permanent structures Mishra said that no question of construction of permanent structures in this area arises. Since Baliyatra is an annual festival which is held for just a week no permanent structures are to be constructed at this venue.
To a question on whether the NGT 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 barricades and notice boards alongside the river bank adjacent to the river bed (Talapadia) have also been put up.
When Mishra was asked whether the Tribunal has asked not to put up any stall on the Talapadia he said that the administration is now examining legal recourse to the order of the Tribunal. As per the notice, the allotment of sites at Talapadia which began on Tuesday was stopped on Wednesday.
