Transfer Of Ekamrakanan Land In Bhubaneswar Put On Hold Amid Protests

Bhubaneswar: The decision of the Odisha government to hand over 20 acres of land of the Ekamrakanan farm to the General Administration (GA) Department has been put on hold.

The Directorate of Horticulture in a letter has directed the Assistant Director of Horticulture, Ekamrakanan, to maintain the status quo of the Ekamrakanan land.

Protesting against the decision of the government to hand over the land to the GA Department, the BJP had staged a demonstration at the Ekamrakanan on November 4.

BJP state spokesperson Dilip Mohanty said when the world is deeply concerned over the acute environmental pollution, a group of bureaucrats with vested interests is plotting to destroy the rich biodiversity of Ekamrakanan situated in the heart of the city by cutting thousands of trees that are more than 40 years and sell them to private parties. “We will stage Satyagraha in front of the Naveen Nivas if an attempt is made to cut even a single tree inside Ekamrakanan,” he maintained.

Mohanty urged the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to urgently intervene in the matter and initiate stern action against these tainted officials.

Expressing resentment, Congress MLA Sura Routray said that his party will not let the government succeed in its ‘conspiracy’ to destroy the park. Alleging that the government has not taken any step to develop the farm in the last 20 years, he demanded that the decision to hand over over Ekamrakanan land to GA department must be withdrawn.

He further said that the government should carry out beautification works in the park instead of building a commercial establishment by destroying the green cover.