Green panel okays, Baliyatra from Nov 4

CUTTACK: With the Eastern Zone bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) giving its nod to organise Baliyatra in the same place as last year, the district administration has geared up to celebrate the festival from November 4 to 10.The administration recently held its first preparatory meeting for smooth conduct of Baliyatra festival. In the meeting, the administration decided to allot land to its traditional traders from October 20 to 30 and new businessmen from October 31 to November 3 for setting up their stalls. It was also decided to collect land rent amounting `26 per sqft, including `2 towards development of infrastructure and maintenance of environment this year, while it was `24 per sqft in the last year. 

This year, more than 1,400 stalls will be set up on 44 acres of land on both Uparapadia and Talapadia. The administration has also decided to keep reserve special stalls for senior citizens and differently abled persons. Several steps will be taken to maintain cleanliness and sanitation in the fair. In its September 19 order, the NGT said, “We make it clear that by this order we are not preventing holding up the Baliyatra festival. However, the Baliytra festival shall be held in the same area as was held last year ensuring compliance of all pollution norms and suggestion of Court Commissioner.”

The NGT’s restriction had come in response to an allegation that Cuttack district administration organised Baliyatra on Mahanadi river bed violating the orders of tribunal. While hearing a petition filed by environment campaigner Biswajit Mohanty highlighting poor condition of Mahanadi due to dumping of garbage and encroachment on July 15, 2016, the NGT had passed an interim order directing authorities not to allow any fresh encroachment on the river bed. 

Last year, the administration had organised the fair at Talapadia. Opposing the move, the petitioner had again moved the NGT alleging violation of its order. Later, the district administration filed an affidavit before NGT citing that the fair was not organised on river bed but on the alluvial plain, a land mass created naturally by alluvium. Following which, the NGT had given its nod for the week-long annual Baliyatra festival last year. However, Mohanty again moved the tribunal alleging that Cuttack administration had provided misleading facts. On September 19, the green panel allowed the administration to hold the festival at Talapadia and posted next date to October 3 for filing synopsis of arguments.