HC notice to govt on razing tourist center to build hotel
- Cuttack: The Orissa high court has issued notice to the state government seeking a reply on the issue of demolition of the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Jharsuguda and alleged construction of a three-star hotel in its place.
- The HC issued the notices on Wednesday on a PIL filed by Satyanarayan Rao of Jharsuguda alleging that the hotel was illegally constructed. Rao sought demolition of the hotel and restoration of the tourist center.
- The two-judge bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice MS Raman issued the notices seeking reply within four weeks and posted the matter to April 12 for further consideration along with the replies from the respondents. The secretary, and director and additional secretary, tourism department, Jharsuguda collector, Jharsuguda tehsildar, tourist officer, Jharsuguda, Jharsuguda Municipality and Jharsuguda Regional Improvement Trust are among the respondents.
- The tourism department had constructed the center over a three-acre area to accommodate tourists. As part of a policy decision, it was among properties listed to be leased out for development, operation and maintenance through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
- Accordingly, a private par- ty was handed over the state government property to ope- rate and maintain the tourist center.