Calcutta High Court Prolongs Stay on Hotel Demolitions in Mandarmani
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Kolkata, Dec 10 (NationPress) The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday prolonged the stay, until January 24, on a notification from the District Magistrate of East Midnapore district in West Bengal regarding the demolition of 140 hotels, resorts, and lodges located at the popular coastal tourist destination of Mandarmani.
Upon extending the stay on the demolition notice, the single-judge bench presided over by Justice Jay Sengupta scheduled January 17 as the next hearing date for this case.
In 2022, the National Green Tribunal mandated the demolition of these 140 establishments, citing that they were built in violation of the guidelines set by the Coastal Regulation Zone Management Authority, with a demolition deadline established for November 20, 2024.
Following this directive, the East Midnapore District Magistrate issued a notification for the demolitions.
However, on November 19, just one day before the scheduled demolition, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intervened, asserting that the District Magistrate acted without the approval of higher authorities, including Chief Secretary Manoj Pant.
In the meantime, the proprietors of the hotels, resorts, and lodges contested the notification in the Calcutta High Court. Responding to their petition, the single-judge bench had initially placed an interim stay on the demolition order until December 13, which was subsequently extended to January 24.
Previously, the ruling Trinamool Congress attributed the blame for this situation to the former Left Front government, arguing that such demolitions after so many years would not only lead to significant financial losses for the owners but also result in mass unemployment for thousands of employees.
