The Forest Department has halted building for the yearly Eco Retreat at Pentha Beach in the Kendrapara district of Odisha since it is alleged that the work was being done without the required environmental and animal permissions.
After the intervention, officials also confiscated building supplies from the site.
As part of its flagship program to encourage sustainable tourism in picturesque and environmentally sensitive areas like Bhitarkanika National Park, the Odisha Tourism Department has been holding the Eco Retreat at Pentha for the past four years.
However, this year's plans encountered a significant obstacle when forest officials found that the continuing setup did not have the required consent from the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) authorities and the State Wildlife Board.

Pentha Beach is located near the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and in the eco-sensitive area of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, both of which are renowned for their abundant wildlife, according to the Forest Department. Regulations pertaining to wildlife and coastal zones necessitate prior authorisation for any type of construction in these areas.
Additionally, since 2010, endangered Olive Ridley turtles have occasionally laid their eggs at Pentha Beach. Environmentalists have often expressed concern that the Eco Retreat's bright lights, music, and human activity could interfere with the turtles' ability to reproduce.
Locals' Reactions to the Stop
Locals bemoaned the stoppage, claiming that the festival had increased tourism and given locals seasonal jobs.

"This is really disheartening because the firm that won the eco retreat contract is incredibly random. They believed they could get around the laws this year, just as they had done during the last BJD government. The new forest officer, however, complies with the law and discovered that they lacked clearance. According to a resident named Jagannath Das, "so, he stopped it, which is very good because they need to take permission first."
When approached, Bhardraj Gaonkar, the Divisional Forest Officer for Rajnagar, stated, "The work was going on without clearance from the competent authorities." Therefore, we had ordered that all activities be immediately suspended. But now that they have all the necessary authorisation, they will proceed with the project.