Bhubaneswar: Lawyers in Odisha’s Puri are opposing the Odisha government’s move to shift the district court to Balukhand.
They have threatened to intensify the stir and block the Atharnala road on Sunday for a few hours to lodge their protest. The road via Atharnala serves as the main entrance to the pilgrim town and Shree Jagannath Temple, which draws hordes of devotees every day.
According to senior advocate and member of the Odisha State Bar Council Bibhu Prasad Tripathy, who is also native of Puri, the protest over the proposed shift has exceeded 200 days. He elaborated that the five-acre land picked for district court falls within Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), and Sweet Water Zone, which are subject to strict regulatory protections. The site is approximately 7-8km away from Balukhand Sanctuary.
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner granting approval for the site, despite these flagged issues, has raised questions about environmental and legal compliance, he added.
He further noted that accessibility to the new site is severely limited, particularly during festivals when traffic restrictions are in place.
Tripathy has appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari for their immediate intervention in reconsidering the decision for a swift resolution to end the ongoing agitation and ensure uninterrupted judicial functioning.
“The existing complex, spanning approximately 2.91 acres, is ideally located with excellent connectivity from all directions, including roads linking to Acharya Harihar Chhak, Sea Shore, Town Hall Square, Mochi Sahi Chhak, and Netaji Subash Bose Chhak. This ensures easy access for lawyers, litigants, and vehicles,” he noted.
He suggested that the adjacent vacant government land, including the demolished Tehsildar office, DRDA, and sub-collector premises over 1.77 acre and an intervening road over 0.17 acre, could be merged with the existing space, totalling over 5.25 acres, to resolve concerns over space constraints for the local judiciary. “Separating the judicial complex from the nearby Collectorate would create significant hardships for lawyers handling revenue matters and for clients from Puri, who would face immense difficulties in commuting,” he added.
Tripathy also highlighted the historical significance of the existing complex as one of Odisha’s oldest courts, where luminaries such as Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Janakinath Bose (father of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose), Jagabandhu Singh, and renowned historian Jagabandhu Singh practised law. “Local residents, shopkeepers, and journalists unanimously expressed dismay over the shift, emphasising its adverse impact on the community’s heritage, litigants’ convenience, and the legal profession,” he remarked.
