BHUBANESWAR: With Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) going headless and Odisha Real Estate Appellate Tribunal yet to be operational, home buyers and builders in the State are concerned over protection of their interests.
ORERA Chairman Amiya Mohapatra relinquished his position on May 11 after giving three months notice in February. However, no prompt measure has been taken by Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department to fill the vacancy which left ORERA headless. The adjudicating officer of the authority also retired on May 31 making things further complicated for the body in addressing issues of the home buyers and builders.
This, however, is not the end to the apathy as the Odisha Real Estate Appellate Tribunal - formed last year - has also not been made functional by the department yet.
Acting on the direction of Orissa High Court, the department formed the tribunal on February 2, 2019 and subsequently, appointed former judge of High Court Justice SC Parija as its chairman as per the provision of RERA Act, 2016. Members Judicial and Technical, and Registrar of the tribunal were also appointed and sanctioned strength of staff was increased from 13 to 37 this year. The tribunal, however, has only four to five personnel including its chairman at present.
“Appointments to remaining posts are yet to be made. Besides, the tribunal doesn’t have a permanent or even a temporary office to function,” said RERA activist Bimalendu Pradhan.
With both ORERA and tribunal lying virtually defunct, Pradhan said, the fate of over 80 cases, for which hearing had been complete and order was to be pronounced, is hanging in balance. Cases of unsatisfied buyers are also piling up due to non-functioning of the tribunal, he added.
Officials of the department, however, said despite COVID-19 lockdown for nearly three months, efforts are on to fill the post of Chairman and other positions in ORERA and make the tribunal functional. “The department has sought application for appointment to the post of Chairman on June 1 and the last date to apply for the same is June 17,” an officer said.