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| Why parties are turning blind to order number 84 | | The land diversion order clearly forbids permanent structures | | EARLY TIMES SPECIAL
Jammu | June 27
Despite fervent pleas from the new Governor and the Chief Minister to resolve the crisis amicably the separatists, Peoples Democratic Party and the National Conference are not allowing the controversy to die even when a cursory glance on the government order land diversion to Shrine Board reveals that under the given terms and conditions their absolutely no threat to ecology as sought to be projected.
The present protests in Valley and their reactions in Jammu region assume a purely communal dimension as the plea on which the PDP, National Conference and separatists seek cancellation of land diversion does not have any logic at all. With the ecological safeguards duly taken care of, the political opposition and the protests have nothing in them except the intolerance.
Pursuant to the cabinet decision in presence of the PDP Ministers, the government order number 84 FST of 2008 dated July 20, 2008 clearly mentions that the land diversion is purely for raising pre-fabricated structures and no permanent construction is allowed there. The order also makes it amply clear that the executing agency (the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board) will have to take technical clearance from the department of Soil Conservation and Pollution Control Board before taking up any activity on the said land.
The operative para of the order reads: “Sanction is accorded to the diversion of the forest land measuring 39.88 Hectares falling under compartment no 63a/Sindh in block Kullan, Range Sindh, Sindh forest division for raising pre fabricated structures only for camping purposes of Pilgrims, without going in for construction of permanent structure at Baltal and Domail”.
Contrary to the assertion of agitated groups that land of Kashmir is being diverted to outsiders, the order further says, “the proprietary status of forest land shall remain unchanged. The forest land so diverted shall be utilized only for the purpose for which it has been diverted. It shall not be transferred to any other agency without approval of the forest department. The forest land so diverted shall not be mortgaged, reassigned or subleased by the user agency in any manner what so ever to any other agency”.
The land in question has been allowed to be used only for yatra period (two months) and when the utility is over, the land has to be handed over to the Forest department.
After a look at the allotment (diversion order) even a naïve would understand that the agitation in Kashmir, of which the protests in Jammu are retaliation, is purely engineered on the political motives. There is no denying to fact that the way to Amarnath Shrine via Baltal route is ecologically fragile but the land being acquired for raising pre-fabricated structures is the same piece of land which has been used since several years for camping of pilgrims in temporary tents. |
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