Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 8: : The J&K High Court on Monday issued notice to state government on encroachment at the source of the Jhelum, dumping of wastes, and inadequacy of drainage system in Kashmir Valley.
A division bench of the court issued notice on a PIL, registered following a communication on June 12 which was sent by the Greater Verinag civil Society, an NGO.
"The matter is concerned with the encroachment at the source of Jhelum river; dumping of wastes and inadequacy of drainage system," the court said and impleaded State of J&K through Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, State of J&K through Secretary to Government, Tourism Department, Srinagar, and Chief Executive Officer, Verinag Development Authority as party respondents.
The court issued notice to these respondents, and for State, senior additional advocate generals B. A. Dar accepted notice while Irfan Andleep, Dy. AG accepted notice for CEO Verinag Development Authority.
The court ordered that a copy of the communication by the NGO be provided to both the counsels to enable them to file status reports within four weeks.
Earlier this year, the civil Society members from Shahabad Verinag staged a protest against the failure of authorities to stop encroachments near the source of Verinag.
"The originating spot of the Jhelum was 180 feet wide but it has shrunk to 30 feet only due to unabated encroachments. The irony is that even lavatories have been set near the source of the Jhelum while the concerned departments particularly Verinag Development Authority and Municipal Committee Dooru Verinag are in slumber and act like ostrich," they had said during a press at press colony here in February this year.
Meanwhile, the court also issued notice to Union of India through Director General Archaeological Survey of India, Ministry of Culture, Government of India and State of J&K through Director, Archives, Archaeological & Museums on a communication received by the court from Mohammad Shafi Pandit. Assistant Solicitor General of India Tahir Majid Shamsi and Senior AGG BA Dar accepted the notice.
The court also directed that the copy of the communication be made available to both the counsels who may file the status report within four weeks. The court ordered posting of the matter on August 28. |
