Kendrapara: The Kendrapara Collector has issued show-cause notice to 50 persons accused of constructing illegal commercial (hotels, homestays and restaurants) and residential structures on forest land in Bankual, Durgaprasad Mauzas and Rajnagar telshil under the Bhitarkanika National Park area. Sources in the Collector’s office said the notice Saturday was issued under Section 9 of the Odisha Land Unauthorized Occupation Prevention Act, 1972, directing them to appear before the Tehsildar between July 20 and 23. A case of blockade has also been filed in the tehsil office against all the alleged violators. “The investigation and measurement of land has been completed. A report is being prepared. After completion of the report, strict action will be taken against the violators,” said Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas, Collector, Kendrapara. A joint investigation by Revenue, Forest and Police officials was launched July 9 following complaints of encroachment and unauthorized construction of hotels in the fragile eco-sensitive national park area, home to the endangered salt water crocodile.
Rajnagar Tehsildar Ajay Kumar Mohanty, Pattamundai Tehsildar Panchanan Naik, ACF Manas Kumar Das, SDPO Kshyamasagar Panda, IIC Ajay Kumar Jena along with police force started the investigation and surveyed the revenue and forest land. Investigations and measurements were carried out in relation to all the hotels built near the National Park Gate in Inner Kanika to Bank Chhak. Sources said hotel Satyapriya, hotel Red Crab, hotel Bhitarkanika, and Kanika Sundari Resort were found to be built entirely on forest land during the investigation. Along with all the hotels, survey was also conducted at residential land in Bankual Mauza of private individuals living with their families for many years. It is pertinent to mention here that sometime back, locals had complained to the Collector about the illegal constructions during the latter’s visit to Gupti to participate in the district-level Van Mahotsav. The Collector had assured them that a joint investigation by the Forest and Revenue departments would be conducted and action would be taken based on the findings.
Afterwards, he ordered the probe. During preliminary investigation, it was found that out of six hotels against which complaints were made, five were built on forest land. While, ‘Swad’ hotel was on private land, the pond and park adjacent to it were found to have come up on government and forest land. It was also revealed that hotel Satyapriya, hotel Red Crab, hotel Bhitarkanika, and Kanika Sundari Resort were entirely built on forest land. The investigating team found that Mangrove Pitta Homestay’s entire building was constructed on government land. Since these five hotels were entirely built on government and forest land, their measurement was not required. The complete building of Bhitarkanika Mangrove Homestay was found to be constructed on its own leased land. However, the pond and park behind the hotel were found to be on government and forest land during the measurement.
Surya Narayan Lenka, who owns Swad hotel, said his hotel was built on ancestral land. He also claimed to have taken loans from a bank for its construction. He welcomed “any action” by the administration against the pond and park adjacent to the hotel as they are on forest land. When asked about why he put up a fence around the pond if he knew it was unauthorised, Lenka said, “Crocodiles had entered the pond twice. Therefore, we were compelled to secure it for the safety of tourists.” Notably, the Bhitarkanika National Park is increasingly becoming the first choice for tourists from both within the country and abroad visiting the state. While there are resorts and cafes inside the national park managed by the Forest department for the tourists visiting Bhitarkanika, Homestays and hotels have sprung up in the periphery