HC orders creation of panel on upkeep of Maidan

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed to form a committee for keeping Maidan area clean.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Arijit Banerjee, while hearing the Suo Motu PIL, said it would be in public interest to constitute a committee comprising Advocate-General and Additional Solicitor-General to coordinate with the highest state officials and the Army authorities to chalk out a plan for the regular maintenance and cleaning of the Brigade Parade Ground and the extended greens, including the areas around the club-tents extending up to the Shahid Minar to the north, the edge of the Fort William to the west, Chowringhee to the east and Circular Road to the south.

The state will make every endeavour to keep the grounds clean, make the snack-vendors aware of the need to maintain hygiene and cleanliness and even make public announcements so that visitors do not litter the grounds. Adequate garbage bins may be placed at strategic points to ensure that paper-plates are not thrown across the grass, the court observed.

"The horse-drawn carriages must immediately be advised to use appropriate so that the horse discharge does not litter the roads. The operators of such carriages must be made responsible to clean the roads, if the same is found to be littered by the animal," the court observed.

The matter will be heard a fortnight after the Christmas vacation for a detailed

plan to preserve the heritage of Maidan.