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| HC warns Govt for failure to finalize Gulmarg master plan | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Sept 5: The State High Court today warned the government against non-finalization of Master Plan for Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Alok Aradhe also directed the Chief Town Planner to put his submission as also the communication, which he referred to in his submissions, before the Chief Secretary for taking up all necessary steps for finalization of Master Plan.
The Court left it open for Chief Secretary as to whether there is any need for changing the previous notification with regard to draft Master Plan or not. In case Chief Secretary feels so, then changing of notification be done with the consultation of relevant experts, the court said.
The Advocate General on the instructions of CEO GDA informed the court that there was no impediment for CTP on continuing with his job in tune with court directions.
CTP in his submission said that he had addressed a communication to Commissioner Secretary to Tourism Department for fresh notification with regard to re-definition of local areas of Gulmarg.
He in his submission informed the court that the new draft Master Plan has to be revisited as there are certain discrepancies as also certain villages have been left out and are missing in the MP.
To these submissions, The Court observed that CBI enquiry has to be ordered against those who while preparing the draft master plan left out the villages. "We will ensure that master plan sees the light of the day," the court said, adding, "Such a eco-fragile tourist resort is without master Plan is unacceptable. We are not going to tolerate this kind of practice by the authorities as six years have lapsed and our concern is finalization of Master Plan."
The Court recorded in the order that it is shocking state of affairs that such an important issue has not been given full attention for completing the process as also local areas were not defined since from 2012.
The court was hearing the PIL filed in 2012 by one Mohammad Rafiq Zargar, seeking directions for protection of fragile environment of Gulmarg. |
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