Cuttack, Nov. 3: A restriction imposed by the National Green Tribunal over the allotment of sites on the Mahanadi riverbed here for putting up Bali yatra kiosks has cast a shadow over the weeklong annual fair due to begin on November 14.

Every year, Bali yatra is organised on 37 acres near the Gadagadia Shiv Temple, which includes 23 acres on the Mahanadi riverbed and 14 acres on the adjoining Killa Maidan. More than 60 per cent of the 1,400 to 1,500 kiosks that come up here every year are allocated sites on the riverbed.

The district administration yesterday started allotment of sites for this year's Bali yatra. But today, it was forced to halt the process because of the green tribunal's restriction.

District collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said: "The green tribunal has issued a show-cause notice to the government. As Bali yatra is a major annual fair that is linked to the sentiments of the people, the government will file a review petition before the tribunal when a reply to the show cause notice is filed."

"If necessary, the government will move the Supreme Court against the order," the collector added.

The tribunal's east zone bench in Calcutta issued the restriction while adjudicating on a petition filed by environmental activist Biswajit Mohanty seeking intervention against "dumping of municipal solid waste by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation and rampant encroachment on the riverbed and embankments of the Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers".

On October 31, the tribunal imposed the interim restriction after it was pointed out that the authorities had already started the process to allot kiosks for Bali yatra.

"Having regard to the fact that Bali yatra festival is an annual affair in the state, the authorities may consider avoiding sites on the riverbed," the tribunal's east zone bench of Justice S.P. Wangdi (judicial member) and Prof P.C. Mishra (expert member) said in its order.

In the interim order, the tribunal expressed displeasure that "the authorities had commenced with allotment of sites for putting up stalls on the Mahanadi riverbed despite a direction not to encroach there upon" and issued a notice to the government "to show cause why orders should not be passed in terms of provisions of law for violation of order passed on July 15, 2016".

The tribunal has fixed November 11 for hearing on the matter.

The July 15 order said: "Considering the issues involved and the situation highlighted in the petition, we are of the view than an interim order is called for. We, thus, for the moment, direct that the Cuttack Municipal Corporation shall not dump debris and waste on the riverbeds of Mahanadi and Kathajodi and encroach there upon until further orders. The district administration shall ensure that this order is strictly complied with."