No encroachments at Khandagiri caves in Bhubaneswar will be tolerated: Orissa HC

Cuttack, Oct 1: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed Khordha district and ASI officials to present their plans for removal of encroachments from the protected Khandagiri caves in Bhubaneswar.

The division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho directed personal appearance of Khordha Collector, Bhubaneswar DCP and superintending archaeologist, ASI (Bhubaneswar Circle) in connection with encroachments around Khandagiri caves in the state capital.

“The court expects them to hold a meeting to chalk out a plan to assist the court before they appear on October 8,” the bench said.

“The unauthorised encroachments in and around the Khandagiri caves, which are of immense historical and archaeological importance, is a matter of serious concern that requires immediate attention before the situation worsens further,” the court observed.

Shree Khandagiri Udaygiri Digambara Jain Siddha Khetra, a Cuttack-based organisation, had filed the PIL seeking judicial intervention against the unauthorised encroachments at the protected site.

Considering the PIL, the court on September 18 had appointed additional government advocates Lalatendu Samantaray and Suman Pattnaik as “officers of the court” to inspect the site on September 22.

No case of encroachments, either temporary or permanent will be tolerated, the bench sated following their report.