Puri: Lawyers in Odisha’s Puri will stage a blockade near Malatipatpur overbridge on Bhubaneswar-Puri national highway on Friday to press for their demand against the proposal to shift the district court to Balukhand.
Speaking to the media, Puri Lawyers’ Association secretary advocate Sarat Rayaguru on Thursday said that the blockade has been announced to draw the attention of the government to their demand since the Odisha Assembly is in its budget session. “Though the lawyers have been protesting against the move for the last one year, the government has done little to address our grievances. 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 noted.
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. “We people build houses there, how can a five-storey court building be constructed there?” Rayaguru questioned.
He further stated that the association has met with the Revenue Minister on six occasions. “In our last meeting, he had assured that adjacent vacant government land, including the demolished Tehsildar office, DRDA, and sub-collector premises, would be merged to resolve concerns over space constraints for the local judiciary. Following which, we had gone to the Vidhan Sabha, However, it failed to yield any result. The lawyers have never raised slogans against the government and we were hopeful of a resolution through negotiations,” he claimed.
While the blockade is likely to affect movement of devotees and tourists visiting Puri and Konark, the advocate clarified that passage will be allowed for students, ambulances, and all other critical/emergency services.
