Calcutta High Court orders interim stay on demolition of ‘illegal’ construction in the beach town of Mandarmani

According to sources, CM Mamata Banerjee said at a meeting on November 20 that no hotel would be demolished as it would affect the livelihoods of many in the region.

A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday (November 22, 2024) ordered an interim stay on the demolition of illegal construction by hotels, resorts and homestays in the beach town of Mandarmani in West Bengal. The District Magistrate of Purba Medinipur had directed the demolition through a notification.

Located about 180 km from Kolkata, Mandarmani is a popular tourist destination in southeastern Bengal, known for its serene beaches and hundreds of sea-facing hotels and resorts.

The notice, dated November 11, 2024, reportedly directed all stakeholders to demolish and clear illegal construction by hotels, resorts and homestays in Mandarmani by November 20, following a May 2022 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The notice was issued by the Chairperson of the District Level Committee of West Bengal State Coastal Zone Management Authority (WBCZMA) and the District Magistrate and Collector of Purba Medinipur.

NGT order for razing

The NGT in 2022 had directed around 140 hotels and resorts in Mandarmani to be razed for violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regulations.

On Friday, the primary contention of the petitioner, Mandarmani Hoteliers Association, was that the CRZ notification in respect of the State of West Bengal was yet to be published and that in the absence of it, the same cannot be implemented.

The Association also contended that as per the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, the constructions carried out by its members long ago could not be directed to be demolished at such a late stage.

The single judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha, in its order, held that there was an immediate threat of demolition of the constructions which the Association members depended on to run their businesses and and earn a livelihood, and that the notice would not take effect till December 13, 2024, or until further order, whichever is earlier.

The next hearing has been slated for December 10, 2024.

According to sources, at a meeting at the Secretariat on November 19, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns over razing down the 140 hotels in Mandarmani and said that no hotel would be demolished as it would affect the livelihoods of many in the region.

Published - November 22, 2024 09:00 pm IST