India vs South Africa 2nd T20I: PIL in Orissa HC for cancellation of match in Cuttack

CUTTACK:  A PIL was filed in the Orissa High Court on Wednesday seeking cancellation of the India-South Africa T20 International match scheduled to be held at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on June 12.

The petition alleged that the international standard stadium with a seating capacity of 44,000 people lacks adequate fire safety as per the Odisha Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Rules, 2017, and Odisha Fire Prevention and Fire Safety (Amendment) Rules, 2019. 

Sanjay Kumar Naik, a resident of Anantpur under Nhuban police station limits in Dhenkanal district filed the petition. Naik has made the Odisha Government, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), and 12 others parties in the case.

Another petition against tree felling for MLA quarters

Another PIL filed in the Orissa High Court on Wednesday sought intervention against the felling of hundreds of trees at the construction site of residential quarters for legislators in the State Capital.

Jayanti Das (60), a Cuttack based social activist filed the petition challenging the inaction of the authorities against cutting of the trees for the construction of multi-storied building for the residential quarters of MLAs. Advocate BK Ragada filed the petition for her. 

The petition has named as opposite parties the Chief Secretary, Secretaries of Forest & Environment department, Revenue & Disaster Management department, General Administration department, Housing & Urban Development department, Chairman of Bhubaneswar Development Authority and Odisha Forest Development Corporation.

According to the petition, 870 trees will be felled for the construction of MLA quarters. The petition follows protests by members of civil society groups on Monday at the construction site and lodging of a police complaint against the authorities for felling more than 300 trees so far.