The Odisha High Court has directed the State Government to immediately consider and dispose of the representation filed by a High Court lawyer by passing reasoned order with respect to demolition of unauthorised high-rise buildings in Bhubaneswar.
This order was passed by a Division Bench of Justices Pradeep K Mohanty and Biswanath Rath last week while taking up a PIl also filed by the same lawyer Nishikant Mishra, who made the representation to the Urban Development Secretary in March this year.
Mishra in his representation has mentioned that the State Government admitted in the Assembly on March 30, 2012 that as many as 482 unauthorised high-rise buildings have been identified in Bhubaneswar itself.
“But on June 20 this year, the Government informed the House that only 423 high-rise buildings have been constructed in violation of provisions of the Odisha development Authority Act, 1952,” Mishra told this correspondent.
The Government in March 2012 had indicated that cases have been filed under Section 91(1) of the Odisha Development Authority Act, 1952 against the unauthorised constructions.
Demolition orders were passed in respect of 189 builders/persons. While as many as 289 cases are pending disposal, the Government has dropped 25 cases.
Stating these facts, Mishra had moved the High Court through a PIl as his representation to the Government as demolition of the unauthorised buildings was not taken cognizance of. The petitioner has urged the High Court to intervene and pass necessary orders as the Government is “unresponsive” to his representation for the fact that the unauthorised buildings have been constructed by powerful, influential and moneyed men.
“Without going into the merits of the cases, this court directs the State Urban Development Secretary to consider and dispose of the representation of the petitioner by passing a reasoned order as expeditiously as possible, preferably within two months,” the HC order said.