Puri: The members of District Bar Association has decided to resort to cease-work agitation on Thursday in protest against construction works of heritage corridor within the restricted area around Jagannath Temple in the town.
Speaking to media persons after the general body meeting of the Bar, here on Tuesday, senior advocate Bulu Mishra said they would lodge a complaint in this regard against the agencies engaged in the construction works and district administration officials at Singhadwar police station on Wednesday.
As a mark of protest against illegal constructions, the lawyers will go to the courts wearing black badges and resort to cease-work agitation, he said. The Bar’s general body took the decision after it was approved by its legal cell on Monday, he added.
Earlier, the Bar members had held a meeting with district collector to draw his attention to the issue and take necessary action. But the meeting failed to yield any result.
They alleged that the state government has been carrying out the construction works of the heritage corridor in the prohibited zone of 75 metre of the Jagannath Temple without obtaining requisite permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Due to digging of huge ditches and erection of massive pillars with heavy machineries, there was a threat to the of the main temple and other structures on its premises, they said.
According to ASI norms, no new construction work can be taken up within 100 metre of any ancient structure. The norms, however, give exemption for construction of basic amenities for devotees like toilets, electrical installations, rest sheds and others.
Puri collector Samarth Verma had earlier said the construction works are meant for providing facilities for the devotees like toilets, resting places, drinking water provision and others. The district administration has obtained the no objection certification in this regard from the National Monument Authority (NMA) and ASI, he added.
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