Puri: Vehicular movement was disrupted on Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway as lawyers from Puri staged a road blockade at Malatipatpur on Friday to press for their demand against the proposal to shift the district court to Balukhand.
A large number of lawyers staged a sit-in on the highway, blocking traffic on the busy stretch. As a result, vehicles travelling to and from Puri were stranded.
Puri Lawyers’ Association secretary Sarat Rayaguru said the protest would continue till 3 pm. 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.
However, as the administration did not respond to their demands, the lawyers decided to intensify their agitation by blocking the highway.
He said 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 7-8 km away from Balukhand Sanctuary. “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 but no concrete result has emerged so far.
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