BPC express concern on leasing of land near Chilka lake

Puri, Mar 29 (UNI) Beach Protection Council(BPC) has expressed serious concern over the Orissa government move to lease out land close to the Chilka lake indiscriminately to the promoters for construction of hotels, resorts and other commercial establishments.

BPC President Jagannath Bastia said he was not opposed to the construction of hotels but such construction in close proximity of the ecological sensitive Chilika lake without consulting the Chilka development Authority(CDA) was a dangerous trend.

He said the opinion of the CDA and the environment department before leasing out land for hotel industry should be taken into consideration.

Mr Bastia alleged that the district administration has shown extraordinary favour to a few companies while compromising the environmented norms. He said the Revenue officers have been working in haste to allot 15 acres of grazing field to one ''Umak investment'', a Delhi based private limited company in Satapara and Bankijhar villages located very close to the lake coast.

The Tehsildar too with out giving opportunity to the villagers for hearing has managed to obtain the endorsement of the district collector Bastia despite objection filed by the villagers over the change of the status of the land.

The BPC President said the Tehsildar did not even wait till the lapse of mandatory proclamation period and processed the file to effectuate the lease.

UNI