NGT-appointed team examine Baliyatra ground

A technical team, led by an expert engineer appointed by the East Zone bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), visited the city and examined the controversial land on which the famous and historic festival of 'Baliyatra' was organised here in November last year.
The week-long annual festival ran into trouble when the Tribunal while adjudicating over a petition had ordered not to hold the mega event on the designated ground on the banks of the river Mahanadi as the site was perceived to be riverbed.
The festival was, however, allowed to take place when the Cuttack district administration submitted to the bench that the event was being organised on the adjacent alluvial soil and not in riverbed.

On subsequent hearing of the petition, the bench appointed a technical committee to visit the spot and report after studying the landform. The team visited the site yesterday.
"We'll submit our report within a month", the team leader Er Sudhakar Patri said.