HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
The Calcutta High Court on Friday issued an interim stay on a November 11 notification from the District Magistrate of East Midnapore that ordered the demolition of 140 hotels and resorts located within Mandarmani’s coastal zone. Justice Amrita Sinha directed that no action be taken until December 13 and instructed the DM to submit an affidavit by December 4.
The demolition orders originated from a 2022 directive by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which cited violations of coastal regulations in the Digha-Shankarpur region. The NGT determined that the illegal constructions in Mandarmani were detrimental to the coastal and marine ecology and mandated their removal. The coastal zone in Mandarmani is defined as the area approximately 500 meters from the shoreline, where these 140 hotels and resorts have been constructed.
Delayed Implementation of NGT Order
Despite the NGT’s May 2022 order, the district administration delayed its implementation. A senior official attributed the delay to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We initiated steps to demolish the constructions in 2022, but the pandemic made it impossible to proceed. Now, we cannot delay further, and the first step has been taken,” the official said.
The November 11 notification by DM Purnendu Maji required hotel owners to demolish the structures and vacate the premises by November 20. This led the Mandarmani Hoteliers’ Association to challenge both the DM’s notification and the NGT’s directive in the High Court.
Court Intervention and Relief
In response, Justice Sinha stayed the demolition order, granting temporary relief to the hotel owners and allowing other interested parties to join the case. The next hearing is set for December 13, when the matter will be revisited.
Political Resistance
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed the demolition order, asserting her administration’s stand against forced demolitions. “No bulldozer will be allowed here,” she declared, underscoring her resistance to the enforcement of the NGT’s directive.
The ongoing legal proceedings will determine the fate of Mandarmani’s hospitality sector while balancing ecological concerns and the region’s tourism-driven economy.
Source: The Telegraph
