CUTTACK: The State Government’s bid to pass on a patch of land in Puri to School and Mass Education department has come under cloud with a PIL being filed in the Orissa High Court seeking its intervention. The land would be used by the department to construct a kitchen which would be run by a private party implementing mid-day meal scheme in Government schools in and around Puri town.
The petitioner - Jamuna Gadhua Buda O Nanda Utsav Surakhya Samiti of Mangalaghat in Puri Sadar- claimed that the land is being used to host Janmastami celebrations for over a century. The matter was taken up for hearing by the court recently through video conferencing.
Taking note of the claim by petitioners that allotment of the land for other purposes would adversely affect the Janmastami celebrations, the bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Savitri Ratho directed additional Government advocate MS Sahoo “to take instruction in the matter by the next date”.
Accordingly, the bench fixed June 25 for hearing and asked the Government to file response.
The petitioners have sought stay on construction work on the land till the matter is disposed. They said the private party which will run the common kitchen on the land, has substantial land at Chandanpur which is located nearby. This apart, vacant government land, which are available in the area, can be used for the purpose, the petitioners said while clarifying that they are not opposed to construction of the kitchen.