HC stays demolition of ‘illegal constructions’ in Mandarmani

Kolkata: 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 East Midnapore had directed the demolition through a notification. 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 Mandarmani Hoteliers Association members depended on to run their businesses and earn a livelihood, and that the notice would not take effect till December 13, 2024, or until further order, whichever is earlier.At a meeting at Nabanna on November 19, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had 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.

The National Green Tribunal 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. 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.