Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to ensure citizen-centric governance and swift justice, a special Camp Court was held today at UNNATI Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.
The initiative, led by Smt. Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, Odisha, aimed to expedite the resolution of appeal cases filed under the Odisha Development Authorities (ODA) Act, 1982.
The Camp Court was organized under the direction of Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, with the primary objective of a citizen-centric approach to governance.
Smt. Padhee, who serves as the designated appellate authority for cases related to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), presided over the day-long session.
During the hearing, a total of 139 cases were successfully taken up and disposed of. This effort made a significant dent in the backlog of more than 700 pending appeal cases.
The appeals addressed by the court were filed by citizens challenging various orders issued by the BDA and BMC under the provisions of the ODA Act.
This innovative initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the appellate mechanism and enhance the speed of case disposal. The government has recently designated other senior officers, including the Director of Municipal Administration, Special Secretaries, and Additional Secretaries, as appellate authorities to handle similar cases. This decentralized approach is expected to further improve efficiency and reduce the overall pendency of cases.
The Camp Court mechanism has been met with a positive reception from the public, reflecting the Housing and Urban Development Department’s commitment to the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability.
The initiative provides a crucial platform for citizens to receive a fair hearing on administrative decisions that they believe may not have been in line with due process or public interest.
The department has indicated that the Camp Court will continue its work in future phases to systematically clear the remaining cases in a time-bound manner.