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| Owners allege highhandedness of DC, PCB | | 108 Srinagar hotels sealed | | Javaid Naikoo
SRINAGAR, Nov 22: Authorities today sealed 108 hotels in Srinagar city for not installing Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs).
Meanwhile, owners of these hotels and restaurants have accused Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and authorities of Pollution Control Board of highhandedness and decided to knock the door of the High Court for relief.
According to the details, a team of officials headed by Assistant Commissioner Srinagar, Ghulam Jeelani Zargar along with the officials of Pollution Control Board, employees of Water Works Department, Power Development Department and police personnels visited many hotels around Srinagar city and cut off the power and water supply besides closing kitchen rooms to suspend operations of such hotels.
While as according to the official statements the action taken today is a part of the implementation of order of the state High Court which has already taken strong note of violating the norms of not installing STPs by some hotel owners in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, following which according to one member of Hotel and Restaurant owners association recently around 20 hotels were sealed in Gulmarg and earlier dozens were sealed in Pahalgam as well which were though later allowed to function normally.
"Among the hotels sealed today include Orient, Mamta, Atheena, Broadway and hotel Jehangir as well but the action taken by authorities is not implementation of orders but violation as for example I have already suspended commercial activities in my hotel but I need electricity ,kitchen services and water for employees who live in the hotel which unfortunately were cut off by these people today," said owner of Hotel Orient, Siraj Ahmad while as reacting strongly on the action taken by authorities today, the members of Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA), Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) and Pahalgam Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association (PHAROA) immediately called a meeting after their hotels were sealed and alleged D.C Srinagar and officials of Pollution Control Board for misusing their powers.
The members in the meeting condemned the action taken by D.C Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Shah and Chairman State Pollution Control Board Vinod Ranjan for issuing the orders of the disconnection of power supply of 108 hotels. Talking to Early Times, president Kashmir hotels and restaurant owners association, Faiz Bakshi said that as per the orders of the High Court hotels were ordered to suspend their Commercial activities which means stop booking of customers in the hotels which hotel owners had already done. However, the District administration asked the Power Development Department and Public Health Engineering Department to disconnect power and water connection to these hotels which is creating lot of problems for hotel owners across the Srinagar city as these services are essential during this season of Kashmir for all the hotel and restaurant owners.
In a statement issued in this regard, the Co-ordination Committee has taken a strong note of the high-handed action of State Pollution Control Board and District Administration Srinagar and alleged that Kashmir Province been selectively made a target for such a harsh action. The statement mentions that the State Government in its Cabinet meeting held on 18-11-2013 decided vide Cabinet Decision No.224/32/2013 Dated 18-11-2013 that, at the first instance, Government will construct Common Sewage Treatment Plants (STP'S). Pertinently, the Co-ordination Committee in their meeting today also decided to approach the High Court for seeking justice in the matter and pray for withdrawal of directives issued by State Pollution Control Board for suspending the commercial operation of hotels as well. |
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