Illegal encroachments on Puri beach demolished.

Puri, May 29 (UNI) In a joint operation, the district administration, Puri Konark Development Authority (PKDA) and the civic body today demolished a number of illegal encroachments from the Puri beach.

At least two restaurants and a beer parlour operating on the beach were razed to the ground while 26 cabin shops were also demolished in the operation.

Official sources said about 500 beach vendors, who have been occupying a major portion of the beach, besides a number of big hoteliers who have illegally encroached the beach would be evicted.

Today's action has triggered panic among the encroachers in the city.

The Puri municipality a decade ago had granted lease to a number of businessmen to run restaurants on the beach violating the Environment Protection Act (EPA) and the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

These businessmen were running commercial units on the midst of the beach from permanent constructed buildings. The matter was taken up by the Beach Protection Council President Jagannath Bastia, who opposed the lease and had demanded removal of all illegal structures from the beach.

Mr Bastia finally approached the Orissa High Court through a PIL, when the district administration did not take any action against the encroachers.

Orissa HC Chief Justice, while adjudicating the PIL, had asked the district administration to make the beach encroachment free.

Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) Suresh Chandra Mahapatra directed the district magistrate to conduct a eviction drive to comply with the orders.

UNI