Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Kolkata Book fair: SC issues notice to WB govt

Kolkata Book fair: SC issues notice to WB govt
================================================================================
LOCALCORRESPONDENT on 09 May, 2008 02:04:00
 
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today issued notices to West Bengal government and
other respondents in a case, in which, Calcutta High Court had banned the
Kolkata Book Fair - one of the largest in the world - at Park Circus Maidan in
January 2008.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan today admitted a petition
challenging High Court's verdict, and sought reply from all respondents within
fours weeks. The court has issued notices while admitting this petition filed by
the publishers, who took part in that fair.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had disallowed holding of the book fair at
Park Circus Maidan in Kolkata saying it violates environmental norms and
fundamental rights of the residents of that area.
The high court was acting on a PIL filed by the local residents who sought
revocation of permission for holding the fair at Park Circus. The High Court had
observed that holding of the huge fair, which attracts lakhs of visitors daily,
would be violative of Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 21 (right to
life in a congenial environment) of the Constitution.
The fair has been in trouble for the last couple of years over its venue. It
was uprooted from the Maidan in the heart of the metropolis in 2007 on the
ground of environmental pollution and then shifted to Salt Lake, and has again
been denied a new address in the metropolis.