GUWAHATI, Jan 18 � A controversy has arisen over the construction of a five star hotel in the vicinity of Dispur Secretariat area of the city. Some residents of Kekoranagar, Basudevnagar and Swarajnagar localities of Greater Hengrabari area, under Beltola Mouza, have alleged that the management of the underconstruction hotel has been blocking a natural channel. They also alleged unauthorized hill cutting by the management of the hotel.
However, the management of the hotel M/s Maxim Infrastructure and Real Estate Private Ltd (MIREPL) has denied the charges as baseless and motivated.
The residents have alleged that they had to move the higher authorities, including the Chief Minister of the State to get their grievances in this connection redressed. Even Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was also contacted for the purpose, they said.
They alleged that no permission was granted to the MIREPL for hill cutting. The site inspection report of the GMDA in this connection was also not correct. The company was also not granted permission for felling trees at the said plot of land. Moreover, the MIREPL has no permission for construction on the plot covered by Dag Number 216, alleged the residents.
However, the MIREPL has claimed that the drain in question was not blocked by it. Rather the drain has been turned into a pucca one along the boundary of its plot of land. Moreover, the GMDA has a plan to link the drain with an existing drain of the area and thus it would finally be directed to the Bahini river.
The Union Environment and Forest Ministry had on June1, 2011, issued environmental clearance for construction of the MIREPL hotel-cum-office complex. The State Forest Department has also accorded permission to the MIREPL for excavation/ digging of earth from the plot of land covered by Dags 3974, 1296, 3972, 1295, 27., (Kheraj Myadi 102/21, 35 (o) 511( N), 102/8 of village Sarumataria, said the MIREPL.
Besides, the Circle Officer of Dispur stated in his report that the land covered under dags 215, 216, 217, 218 and 219 of Kheraji Myadi Patta number 9 of Sarumataria village, belong to MIREPL.
During the inspection conducted by Government officials on September 26, 2012, 10 representatives of the people of the above localities were also present. The hotel is the first LEED certified green building of the city with a gold rating. Its complex is designed as zero discharge facility, MIREPL claimed.