S Sabaqat
Srinagar, Oct 12 : A Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officer was left red-faced after Jammu and Kashmir High Court questioned his clothing during the hearing of Public Interest Litigation seeking direction for protection of Gulmarg against pollution and illegal constructions. As soon as a division bench comprising Chief Justice M M Kamar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar asked for Chief Executive Officer regarding an order on hotels in Gulmarg, the officer appeared before the bench only to find himself embarrassed. "What type of dress you are wearing," Justice Attar enquired from the CEO who was wearing shirt and jeans pant. To his reply of "sorry", Chief Justice commented: "Court has banned two words 'uncle and sorry'. You say sorry and get away with everything. If you want an English man to say sorry, it takes a lot of time because it means a lot." Senior advocate Z A Shah, who was arguing the case at that time on behalf of hotels sealed by Pollution Control Board, draw the attention of the court to the Supreme Court's remark to an officer who had come in Safri suit. "The Supreme Court asked him to go back and came after you are properly dressed. Court is a serious place," he said. To this, the Chief Justice said, "There is no training in the academy for KAS officers?" On being informed that there is one-IMPA, the Chief Justice said these things are primary. Meanwhile, High Court turned down the plea regarding de-sealing of hotels which were sealed on the direction by the court last month for not adhering to Pollution Control norms. "Shah, senior council, made numerous submissions and then realizing that the court is not going to idly has requested for deferring the orders in the hope that STP in respect of some hotels which has reached borders of Lakhanpur would reach Gulmarg and would then be installed," the bench said, adding, "Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the application, at this stage we defer the order October 23." In the meanwhile, the court directed Gulmarg Development Authority to permit the carrying of activity and material necessary for installation of STP for the hotel for which it is meant. Earlier, the senior advocate prayed the court for vacation of the September 26 order till December 31 so as enable the hotels install STP as provided in the guidelines of PCB. "Can you expect court to extend time when the provision says that those who violate laws are subjected to prosecution," the bench said, adding, "Provisions provide that after they are found guilty, they are to be given minimum one and half year's rigorous imprisonment."
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