SC notice to Kolkata residents opposed to Book Fair

SC notice to Kolkata residents opposed to Book Fair The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the petitioners opposed to the holding of one of the world's largest book fair at Park Circus Maidan in the capital of West Bengal. A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan issued the notices to some local residents of Kolkata on whose plea the Calcutta High Court prevented the holding of the Book Fair at the Maidan in January-February this year. The fair was shifted from Park Circus Maidan in the heart the city last year and moved to Salt Lake area. The High Court had held that organising the book fair at the Maidan was in violation of environmental norms infringing upon the fundamental rights of the citizens. The organisers of the fair -Publishers and Booksellers Guild- had challenged the 28th January decision of the High Court which had also directed it to restore the park to its original state and hand over its possession to Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Senior advocate L Nageshwar Rao, appearing for the Guild, said that the fair was taking place at the venue for the last 30 years and it was unfair to stop it. He submitted that High Court should have considered that if Durga Puja, Kali Puja and other festivals are allowed at the parks and maidans across the city why can't a book fair be permitted. The High Court had observed that holding of the huge fair, which attracts lakhs of visitors daily, would be violative of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution. It had also said that the holding of the fair at the congested area would be violative of Pollution Act, Environment Protection Act and Noise Pollution Act. The venue of the fair has been matter of controversy for the last couple of years.

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