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CSGK asks govt to include its recommendations
SYED YASIR. Dated: 8/23/2012 12:18:25 AM
SRINAGAR, Aug 22: Civil Society Groups of Kashmir (CSGK) today asked state government to include its recommendations in its repose to Supreme Court directive over to issue related to construction of road to Amarnath cave.
The representatives of CSGK were speaking at Eid Milan programme organized by them.
Chairperson of CSGK, Dr Hameeda Nayeem said their groups has expressed serious concern over the supreme court directives for undertaking works leading to construction of roads in the environmentally fragile Himalayan habitat around the Amarnath cave shrine.
She said being the members of the civil society, they have every right to intervene over the issue and submit recommendations to the state government so that it would be included in the response to the Supreme Court directive.
Referring to state government’s denial about any SC directive to construct road, Dr Hameeda said,” We will keep a watchl on the response of the state government over the issue. We had a bad experience of 2008 agitation over land dispute issue. The government statements are changing with every passing day. The civil society members have decided to oppose the move to protect environment of the state,” she said.
The civil society members however shared the concern related the health issue of pilgrims. “ We support that yatra must be conducted in accordance with the National Environment Policy, the State Forest Policy and also the Nitish Sengupta Committee recommendations. But at the same time the fragile environment of the area should be taken into consideration,” they said.
The members also said they believe any increased human activity through large scale construction works will greatly enhance pollution, pose serious challenges to public health and result in irreversible damage to the flora and fauna of the area, critical to tourism and agriculture of the region.
They strongly recommend authentic medical clearance for the intending pilgrims on the pattern of the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra where pilgrims above 70 years are not allowed to undertake the yatra and pilgrims are to produce genuine medical certificates certifying their health status.
“We believe these very basic measures will greatly help in preventing pilgrim deaths in the high altitude area and at the same time ensure conservation of highly fragile and precious eco-diversity of the area,” the members said
The civil society group called upon the Central Empowered Committee on Forests and Environment and the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Environment to initiate steps that the national environment and forest policies be implemented in letter and spirit and the plans of large scale construction around the Amarnath cave shrine be subjected to legal scrutiny in the light of the established laws and policies.
The members who were present at the Eid Milan programme include Abdul Majeed Zargar (Chartered Accountant), Akhtar Rashid (Former chief engineer and social activist), Dr Shakeel Kalandar, Dr. Ashraf Beg (Writer/columnist), Bilal Ahmed Dar (Academician), Faiza Qadri (Electronics engineer), Dr Hameeda Nayeem, Dr. Javed Iqbal (Columnist/writer), Dr. Mubeen Shah (President, J&K Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry), Zahir-ud-din (Lawyer/columnist/human rights activist), Zareef Ahmed Zareef (Poet/activist), and Z G Muhammad.