TNI Bureau: Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy on Tuesday clarified that no part of the Ekamra Kanan Botanical Gardens in Bhubaneswar is being taken back by the State Government.

The office of the Chief Secretary issued a statement saying “Ekamra Kanan is a place of pride & the State Government is committed to improve it further. The State Government is committed to improve Ekamra Kanan further. The Government attaches the highest importance to the Regional Plant Resources Center functioning in the Ekamra Kanan with its wide ranging activities in biotechnological research. The place will be kept up and maintained as a public place of prominence.”

The press release further stated “The department of Horticulture is surrendering some of its unutilized land lying vacant for five decades in Jayadev Vihar and Paika Nagar mouzas. The land will be put to more productive use. This land is no way related to Ekamra Kanana land.”

Opposition parties had accused the State Government of taking over the land belonging to Ekamra Kanan.