CUTTACK: No stalls will be shifted from the upper Balijatra ground at Killa Maidan to the lower ground on the Mahanadi riverbed this year but the administration should consider locating the entire fair on the latter next year, the Orissa High Court said on Thursday.
The special bench for dealing with civic issues in Cuttack cleared the air over Balijatra -2024 after collector Cuttack, Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde informed the court that locating all the stalls in lower ground would not be possible as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has allowed Balijatra in 34 acres of the reclaimed riverbed area.
The collector, who was present in court, also pointed out that plots have been already earmarked for over 1,800 stalls in lower Balijatra ground. And the land in the upper Balijatra ground for 601 private stalls has already been auctioned out to private parties since October 26.
Taking note of it, the bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh allowed Balijatra in both upper and lower grounds. However, the bench expected the collector to consider locating all the stalls in the lower ground next year and plan accordingly beforehand.
The bench had sought from the state government a feasibility report on the proposal by president of High Court Bar Association Bijay Dash, who heads the Advocates’ Committee constituted by the court on October 30.
According to the court’s order, the committee “raised alarm that since stalls are opened in both Upper Balijatra Padia and Lower Balijatra Padia and the crowd passes from one to the other, there is heavy rush particularly on the Ring Road which falls in between resulting in accidents and possibility of stampede cannot be ruled out.” Even ambulance service carrying patients to SCBMCH, Cuttack face immense difficulties.
Therefore, if all the stalls are located in the lower ground and the upper ground is used for parking purpose, the problem can be addressed to a great extent, the committee had stated.