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Despite HC directive authorities refuse permission

SHABIR AHMAD. Dated: 12/10/2012 12:00:36 AM

Maintenance of hotels in Pahalgam

PAHALGAM, Dec 9: Despite the high court directive to the concerned authorities to allow the day to day maintenance and repair of the legal hotels in Pahalgam the later allegedly refuses to grant any permission for the same to hoteliers.
The hoteliers say that the authorities’ refusal in granting permission for maintenance will badly affect their business in future.
High court in response to an appeal by the hoteliers last month ordered that the hotels which have been raised legally be allowed to carry out the day to day maintenance and repair. The order further reads that the chief executive officer (CEO), Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA), will monitor the maintenance and day to day repair to ensure that there is no deviation under the garb of maintenance.
The hoteliers say even after the orders of the high court they are not being allowed to carry out the maintenance of their hotels.
“The condition of our hotels inside is pathetic. The water pipes connecting to washrooms or toilets have either been cut or blocked.
They have been rendered almost unusable. The high-profile tourists refuse to use wash rooms,” said president, hotel owners association, Pahalgam, Javed Ahmad Burza.
Hr said they demand the permission for maintenance only so that their business does not get affected. “We do not want any new constructions We are in favour of the ban on constructions at this tourist spot but going by the court directions the authorities must allow us to maintain our hotels. How can we convince our guests to
stay when the rooms are of our hotels are not maintained,” Burza said.
He said the authorities are telling him to wait. “What stops them from granting permission when they have clear directions from the court. How long we will we wait,” he said.
Another hotelier wishing anonymity said there is a ban on constructions at ‘Yanner’ also but the constructions go unabated there and the ban implementing agencies watching as mute spectators. “In Pahalgam we are not being allowed even to replace a broken floor tile or window glass while at ‘Yanner’ the authorities do not dare to touch the influential people making constructions in violation of the district court,” he said.
When contacted chief executive officer, PDA, Qamar Sajad, said he has written to building operation controlling authority (BOCA) with regard to granting permissions. “Since there is no mention in the order as to who will grant permissions for the maintenance- PDA or BOCA- so I have written to the latter in this regard,” CEO said.
However, director tourism Kashmir, Talat Ahmad, who is also the head of BOCA, said t they have finalized the process of permission to hoteliers for day to day maintenance of their hotels in last BOCA meeting.
“BOCA in its last meeting has decided to grant permission for day to day maintenance to the legal hoteliers and executive orders in this regard are to be issued by the CEO, PDA, who is also the member of BOCA. If CEO has not issued permissions to hoteliers so far I will take up the issue with him to ensure that permissions for the same is granted to them,” director said.
He further said the hoteliers can directly approach him for permission. “Hoteliers who want to carry out maintenance of their hotels can approach me directly for in this regard,” he said.