Bhubaneswar, November.18 ( Odisha.in) Orissa High Court in a historical judgment has asked the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) to ” take appropriate steps for recovery of the land out of 448 acres which has sweet water reserve.”
The judgment of the High Court has created commotion among the people and particularly among the hoteliers who have constructed buildings and hotels over the Sweet Water Zone ignoring the notification of the PHED.
The former Chairman and officials of Puri Municipality during whose tenure such lands were given on lease ignoring the statutory restrictions are likely to face music once the action for recovery of land starts according to the law.
The judgment delivered division bench comprising of Chief Justice A.K. Ganguly and Justice B. Mahapatra mentioned , ” In taking such steps , the PHED shall give notice to the persons to whom the lease was granted by Puri Municipality.
Any such steps would obviously be taken aftergiving notice to the lessees in whose favour lease deed has been granted by Puri Municipality.
Thereafter if there is cancellation of lease deed and consequent demolition of constructions if any, by the PHED, in case of any compensation is required to the lessees same should be decided in accordance with law.
Delivering judgment on a public interest litigation filed by Umaballav Rath in 1996 in order to protect mis-utilization of plots of land situated in Balukhanda mouza, the Court has categorically directed that , ” the entire area of 448 acres shold be kept free from any construction.”
Odisha.in