CUTTACK: Nearly 60 per cent of marriage ‘mandaps’ in Cuttack operating without valid approval of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) will be shut down as per the latest High Court directive.
The civic body and the High Court-appointed amicus curiae Arun Kumar Budhia, in an affidavit on Wednesday, stated that only 76 of the total 180 ‘kalyan mandaps’ functioning in the city had applied for licences.
The ‘mandaps’ had come under scanner of the court following a letter petition filed by a group of five citizens of Cuttack in March last year, alleging gross violations of rules, creating nuisance and pollution as well as public inconvenience.
They had alleged that the mandaps used for marriages and other social functions did not have adequate parking space, thereby causing serious traffic problems during events held at their places. The halls also blatantly flouted sound pollution norms by playing high decibel music. Further, they did not adhere to any waste management mechanism and dumped garbage, plates and leftover food on the roads or in their vicinity posing serious health risks to the residents of the localities.
The court, while appointing advocate Budhia as amicus curiae, had formed a committee comprising CMC and CDA officials, ACP Traffic, IICs of police stations concerned and the court-appointed officer to make physical verification of the conditions and infrastructure of the ‘kalyan mandaps.’ It also directed that no ‘mandap’ should be allowed to function without registration.
Following the orders, the CMC had published advertisements asking the ‘kalyan mandaps’ to get themselves registered and obtain licences of operation from it. It had also issued notices to the ‘mandaps’ while the facilities were again asked to comply with the orders during physical verification. “In spite of the measures, only 76 have come forward for licences. Taking serious note, the court has ordered closure of rest of the mandaps”, Budhia said.