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| HC orders sealing of hotels across JK | | |
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 5: Taking strong exception to "vague" status report filed by State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Jammu and Kashmir High Court today ordered sealing of all hotels operating without STP in the state, particularly in Katra, Patnitop, Jammu and Srinagar, within one week..
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a Division Bench of the court comprising of Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice MH Attar observed that the status report filed by State Pollution Control Board was far from satisfactory.
Advocate General MI Qadri assured that all effective steps shall be taken to ensure that hotels in category-A have STP operational particularly in the area of Katra, Patnitop, Jammu and Srinagar. "The annexure attached with the affidavit filed by Secretary PCB Arun Kumar Tickoo vaguely states that commercial operation of 96 hotels in Katra has been ordered to be suspended. What is the effect of suspending the commercial operation is yet to be known," the court said.
"There is no sealing process undertaken by the PCB with the help of authorities as was done at Gulmarg and Pahalgam," the court observed.
To this, Advocate General stated that all effective steps shall be taken by adopting the sealing process in respect of all the hotels in state so that their commercial operation comes to standstill.
"An affidavit along with date of passing of the orders suspending commercial operation and sealing shall be filed before the next date of hearing," the court said.
Meanwhile, the bench also accepted objections filed by Assistant Director Tourism and Legal Advisor PCB on the application because both of them in categorical terms stated that no effort is made by either of them to circumvent due process of law and directions by the court.
"However, we want to make it clear that if any such conversion is to take place, then it will not be permitted without express orders obtained from this court," the court said, directing that a copy of the order be sent to Director Tourism and chairman SPCB for compliance.
Meanwhile, the court also directed authorities to seal an under construction hotel at Tangmarg in north Kashmir which is said to be constructed without any permission from any authority.
The court directed Qadri to depute a responsible officer to find the status of construction.
"If such activity is going, then direction be issued to stop it. The structure has to be sealed by SPCB with the help of Deputy Commissioner and SSP of the area," the court said, seeking reply by next date of hearing. |
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