By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 23, 2018: The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has served closure notice to five leading hotels in Bhubaneswar and the holy city of Puri for violating section 33A in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

The SPCB authorities in a notice to these hotels on Tuesday asked them to close their hotels or else face legal action.

The hotels included Puri’s Sipasarubali Hotel and Hotel Balaji International at Baliapanda and Bhubaneswar-based Hotel Bari International at Nayapalli, Hotel Ginger opposite Nalco headquarters near Jayadev Vihar, Hotel Green Field at Rasulgarh and Hotel Stone Palace at Chandaka.

As per directive by the Supreme Court, the SPCB officials had visited the hotels and inspected their sewage treatment plants, which were found to be nonfunctional or defunct.

Following review report, the pollution watchdog authorities served the closure notice to these above hotels directing them to shut down their units till proper operational of the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP).