Puri: The district administration Thursday sealed Sai Chandan hotel located at Renuka Lane near the beach here and took possession of the hotel land.
The administration’s action came after consolidation commissioner CTM Suguna directed collector Arvind Agarwal to take possession of the hotel and the land on which it was constructed for not renewing the land lease in violation of guidelines and for frequently transferring the ownership of the land illegally.
According to sources, the hotel is over a sprawling 0.078 acre in Plot No 133 of Nolia Sahi Mouza and 0.005 Balukhand Khasmahal land in Plot No 134. Banamali Das of the area had taken the land on lease for 30 years from Puri Khasmahal authorities or the collector to construct a house. In 1946, Das had transferred the power of attorney of the land to his wife Sarojini.
Sarojini again renewed the lease of the land for another 30 years. Subsequently, the power of attorney of the land was transferred to Amiya Banerjee in 1982. Banerjee had also renewed the lease for another 30 years.
In 2007, Banerjee’s relative sold the land to Subash Chandra Nayak of Sambit Resort. In 2010, the Sambit Resort authorities sold the land to the director of Sai Chandan Resorts Private Ltd, Chandan Behera. Later, Behera constructed the hotel.
Behera had filed a revision case with the court of consolidation commissioner to record the land in his name. During the trial, the consolidation commissioner had sought a report from the tehsildar regarding the land.
After an inquiry, the tehsildar submitted a report to the consolidation commissioner. In the report the tehsildar stated that lease of the land ended in 2012-13 after which it was not renewed. Besides, the ownership of the land was frequently transferred without informing the Khasmahal authorities or the collector. The land was used for commercial purposes by constructing the hotel although it was leased out for construction of the house, the tehsildar was said to have pointed out in his report.
It was then that the consolidation commissioner directed the collector to take possession of the land and the hotel on it.
Armed with the commissioner’s order a team led by tehsildar Prabir Khillar reached the hotel. The hotel has 34 rooms of which 10 rooms had been booked by customers. The hotel was sealed after shifting the customers to another hotel. At present, the market price of the hotel and the land is around 3 crore, sources said.
PNN
