Udupi: Ocean Pearl Times Square hotel inaugurated
Udupi: The Ocean Pearl Times Square hotel was inaugurated on Wednesday, September 09 at Times Square Mall, Kalsanka, in the heart of Udupi on Wednesday.
The hotel was jointly inaugurated by Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swamiji of Pejawar Mutt and Sri Vidya Prasanna Theertha Swamiji of Kukke Subrahmanya Mutt.
During the ceremony, Pejawar Swamiji blessed the hotel and praised Jayaram Banan for his significant contribution to the town of Udupi through this new venture. He expressed his wish for the hotel's success, attributing it to the grace of Lord Krishna.
Subrahmanya Swamiji added that Udupi's hospitality and food industry are well known, and the new hotel was much needed in the area.
Subrahmanya Swamiji also noted that Udupi is renowned for its food industry and hospitality and emphasized the need for such a premium hotel in the area. He commended Jayaram Banan for his hard work and dedication in creating employment opportunities for thousands of people through his efficient administration.
Bishop Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo of the Udupi Diocese visited the venue earlier to offer his blessings and well wishes for the new hotel.
Other dignitaries including MLA Yashpal Suvarna, Sunil Kumar, BJP leaders Mattar Ratnakar Hegde and Jagadish Adhikari, along with Ocean Pearl founder Jayaram Banan. Also present were Ocean Pearl Managing Director Roshan Banan, Vice Presidents Girish and Shivakumar, General Manager Prashant Acharya, and Times Square Mall owner Dr. Jerry Vincent Dias, along with Glen Dias and Jason Dias of Mandavi Builders. Notable businessmen including Manohar Shetty, Indrali Jayakar Shetty, Ibrahim Kodi, and former MLA Raghupathi Bhatt were also part of the gathering.
The hotel boasts impressive features, including the Grand Pacific 1 hall, which can accommodate up to 2000 guests, making it ideal for weddings, conferences, and large events. The Pacific 2 hall caters to medium-sized events and can hold up to 250 guests.
With top-tier design and interiors, the hotel offers 67 luxurious rooms, including a Presidential Suite, Club Suites, Family Suite, and Deluxe Rooms. Additionally, it provides facilities such as a gym, fitness center, business lounge, and an international-standard swimming pool for swimming enthusiasts.
The hotel’s culinary offerings are also diverse, with a range of South and North Indian cuisines, Continental, and Chinese dishes served at its Coral Restaurant. Guests can also enjoy the Joss Sports Bar and the Joss Executive Lounge, making it a well-rounded hospitality destination. The variety of regional food products is another specialty that sets the hotel apart.
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Kerala HC sets aside Sabarimala airport land acquisition process
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court has set aside crucial stages of the land acquisition process for the proposed Sabarimala greenfield airport, holding that the state failed to properly assess the minimum land actually required for the project.
On December 30, 2022, the state government issued an order granting sanction for the acquisition of 2,570 acres of land, comprising the Cheruvally Estate and an additional 307 acres located outside it.
Justice C Jayachandran, delivering the judgment on a writ petition filed by Ayana Charitable Trust (formerly Gospel for Asia) and its managing trustee Dr Siny Punnoose, ruled the decision-making process under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, was legally flawed.
The court, in its December 19 order, directed the state to restart the process by conducting a fresh social impact assessment limited to examining the minimum land requirement, followed by a fresh appraisal by the expert group and reconsideration by the government.
The petitioners had challenged several government actions, including the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report, the expert committee appraisal, the state government order approving the acquisition, and the subsequent notification under Section 11 of the 2013 Act.
The land in question, mainly the Cheruvally Estate in Pathanamthitta district, is proposed to be acquired for building a new airport intended to serve Sabarimala pilgrims.
The court found that while the state is entitled to acquire land for public purposes, the law clearly mandates that only the "absolute bare minimum" extent of land required for a project can be acquired.
According to the court, this mandatory requirement under Sections 4(4)(d), 7(5)(b), and 8(1)(c) of the 2013 Act was not properly complied with.
Justice Jayachandran observed that the authorities had shown "manifest non-application of mind" in assessing how much land was genuinely necessary.
As a result, the SIA report, the Expert Committee report and the government order were declared invalid to the extent they failed to address this crucial requirement.
Since the Section 11 notification could only be issued after a valid completion of these steps, it too was quashed.
On the petitioners' allegation of fraud on power and colourable exercise of authority, the court did not give a final finding. It held that this issue is closely linked to determining the minimum land required and can only be examined after that exercise is properly completed.
Before concluding, the court suggested that for technically complex projects like airports, the state should include technical experts in the SIA team to ensure informed and lawful decision-making.
The writ petition was accordingly allowed, keeping other issues raised by the petitioners open for future consideration.
