Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards citizen-centric governance and timely justice delivery, a special Camp Court was organised at UNNATI Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, led by Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Department Usha Padhee.
The initiative was undertaken as per the direction of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure a citizen-centric approach and expedite the disposal of appeal cases filed under the Odisha Development Authorities (ODA) Act, 1982.
The Principal Secretary, who is the designated appellate authority for appeal cases related to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), presided over the hearing.
During the day-long session, a total of 139 cases were taken up and disposed of out of more than 700 pending appeal cases. These appeals pertain to various cases filed by citizens against orders issued by the respective authorities under the provisions of the ODA Act.
The government has recently designated senior officers, including the Director of Municipal Administration, Special Secretaries, and Additional Secretaries, as appellate authorities for handling appeal cases under the Act, aiming to strengthen the appellate mechanism and ensure speedy disposal of cases. This decentralized approach is expected to enhance efficiency and reduce pendency.
The Camp Court mechanism has been well-received by the public and is expected to continue in future phases to clear the remaining cases in a time-bound manner. The initiative reflects the commitment of the Housing and Urban Development Department to uphold the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability, providing a fair hearing platform to citizens who believe they have been affected by administrative decisions.
