The hoteliers' association in Mandarmani — one of Bengal's famous seaside destinations — moved Calcutta High Court on Monday seeking a stay on the East Midnapore district magistrate's order that has set a November 20 deadline to demolish 140 hotels that allegedly violated coastal regulations.

On November 11, East Midnapore district magistrate Purendu Maji issued the order, citing a 2022 National Green Tribunal (NGT) verdict.

Maji, who is also the chairperson of the district-level committee for the West Bengal Coastal Regulation Zone Authority (WBCZMA), in his order said he would take legal action if the owners of the 140 hotels did not demolish illegal constructions by November 20.

"These hotels in Mandarmani were built over the past 40 years with permission from the district administration. Suddenly, the state government has enforced an NGT order from 2022 to demolish our constructions, which casts a shadow on our business worth over ₹1,000 crore. That is why we have moved Calcutta High Court seeking a stay," said Mamrez Ali, president of the Mandarmani Hoteliers' Association.

He added that they would inform the court about the impact on the livelihoods of thousands of people, and how the entire tourism industry would be affected if the demolition took place.

There are around 300 hotels and resorts in Mandarmani, with seaside accommodations being the main attraction for thousands of tourists, especially on weekends. A hotelier said that these hotels and resorts are a source of livelihood — both directly and indirectly — for over one lakh people.

Mandarmani, located just 170 km from Calcutta, is a popular weekend destination for many. The demolition order has raised concerns among regular visitors to the seaside.

A senior official from East Midnapore stated that implementing the NGT order from May 2022 had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but it could no longer be postponed.

"We initiated steps to demolish the constructions in Mandarmani in 2022, but the pandemic made it impossible to proceed. But now, we can't delay further, and the first step has been taken," said the official.

Contacted, Maji refused to comment on the order issued by him.

On May 2, 2022, the NGT ordered the demolition of illegal constructions in Mandarmani located in the Digha-Shankarpur coastal area. The tribunal noted that these hotels and resorts were built in violation of coastal regulations, causing continuous harm to the coastal and marine ecology. It also criticised the WBCZMA for failing to enforce the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification and allowing large-scale illegal constructions in the designated "no-development zone."

A source revealed that the WBCZMA, which monitors violations of coastal regulations, stated in its affidavit that Mandarmani's coastline suffered heavily in recent years due to back-to-back cyclones like Amphan, Yaas and Bulbul.

"The NGT's observations are crucial for protecting coastal regulations. However, the issue of livelihoods and investments totalling over ₹1,000 crore in the area is also a major concern," said an official.

Hoteliers have argued that they obtained clearances from the district administration before setting up their hotels. They are urging the government to consider their future if the stay order is not granted.

An owner of a resort in Mandarmani said their appeal to Calcutta High Court aimed to allow existing hotels to operate while banning new constructions.

"There are thousands of hotels and resorts on seabeaches across the country, including Digha, Puri and Goa. However, the government has targeted Mandarmani for demolition. If this happens, the entire tourism industry built around Mandarmani will collapse, devastating the local economy," said Ashok Adak, the secretary of the Mandarmani Hoteliers' Association.

A senior state government official said that as of now they had no choice but to comply with the NGT order.

"If illegal constructions are not demolished by November 20, we will proceed with demolitions according to the NGT order. However, much depends on what the high court says in response to the pleas of hoteliers," said the official.