Demolition drive begins in Puri

Odisha Channel Bureau Puri, Dec.12:-The Puri Konark Development Authority (PKDA) today began demolition of a four-storey hotel building under construction near the Sunar Gouranga temple alongside the Chakratirtha Road of the town.The operation began after the National Green Tribunal, while adjudicating the complaint of one Subhas Dutta of Kolkata that large scale illegal constructions violating the CRZ norms have come up along the Puri beach and over pollution in the Swargadwar burning ghat and effluents from Sri Jagannath temple creating environment hazard, had directed the PKDA to demolish all identified illegal constructions and coastal regulation zone violators in its recent order.PKDA had identified and issued demolition notices to 316 such constructions along the beach area most of which are hotels and other commercial establishments.Many hotel owners have filed cases in various forums like High court and in the urban secretary court challenging the PKDA order which are pending till date.Thirty-three hotels were to be demolished in this operation while decisions in other cases are awaited, said secretary of PKDA Brundaban Barik.Of the thirty three hotels listed for demolition, the first hotel located in close proximity to Sunar Gouranga was being demolished today.Apart from Barik, planning member Lingaraj Pattnaik and enforcement officer Abhimanyu Behera were present during the operation besides the magistrate and police.The secretary of PKDA told media persons that the operation would continue till demolition of all the thirty-three hotels.This has spread panic among the hoteliers and apartment owners whose establishments were in the demolition list.