Revise Master Plan within 2 months: HC to Govt

SYED BASHARAT. Dated: 5/11/2013 10:17:29 AM

SRINAGAR, May 10: The High Court today asked the state government to revise the Master Plan within two months to streamline the constructions in world famous tourist destination Pahalgam,
The direction was issued by a division bench comprising of Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Husnain Masoodi.
“Since the chief town planner is overburdened and he has to look after Gulmarag as well, we had sought more time. But the Court granted two months to the government to revise the Master Plan of Pahalgam,” said M A Chashoo, the additional advocate general who appeared before the High Court in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Pahalgam illegal constructions, today.
In earlier hearings of the matter the government was asked about steps it had taken for amendments or modifications in Pahalgam Master Plan (2005-2025). However, Chashoo had submitted that before effecting any amendment or modification in the Master Plan the government has to undertake an exercise under development rules.
“For formulating a Master Plan after effecting any amendments or modifications, the same is to be submitted before the government for its approval. Thereafter as per the Development Act objections and suggestions from the general public are to be invited and this being a tike consuming process, I sought four months time from the court to do the needful,” Chashoo told Kashmir Times.
Mohammad Ishaq Qadri, the advocate general has already apprised the court in the matter that government is inclined to incorporate certain amendments and modifications proposed by the expert committee set up by the High Court.
In order to probe the nexus between land mafia, influential hoteliers and serving bureaucrats, which has led to brazen violation of Pahalgam Master Plan (PMP), the High Court had on May 5, 2011 constituted a high level committee to submit its expert opinion in light of a PIL being heard by the Court in this regard.
The High Court had appointed district judge Anantnag and Secretary High Court Legal Service Committee Abdul Rashid Malik as the member secretary of the expert committee.
Akhtar Rashid former chief engineer was appointed as the chairman of the committee while as the members include Dr Ashok Kumar Pandita department of environmental sciences university of Kashmir, Dr Mohammad Ayub Dar from law department university of Kashmir and A R Wadoo former chief conservator of forests This 5-member committee had submitted a report which besides throwing light on the illegal constructions being carried out in brazen violation of High Court orders had said that the owner of Grand Mumtaz hotel had cemented the stump of Deodar (cedar) trees which had dried up around 100 trees.
Earlier a five-member enquiry committee headed by Chief Executive Officer Pahalgam Development Authority had submitted before the court that out of 177 constructions raised before the existing master plan (2005-25) 174 constructions have been raised without permission while as only three structures are with proper permission.
“Out of 174 structures raised without permission, only 41 were raised before 1980 while as thereafter 40 to 50 structures were raised during every 10 years,” the enquiry report reads. Out of these 174 structures without permission, 122 are residential, 45 commercial, six are commercial cum residential and one is has been mentioned as other.
However, about the construction raised after the approval of master plan (2005-25), the committee found that 57 constructions have been raised in Kralpora, lower Laripora, upper Laripora and Manzimpora (hamlets of village Laripora). Out of these 57 constructions, 40 have been raised without permission and 17 posses the permission.
Interestingly, out of 40 structures without permission, 21 structures have been raised in non-permissible zone (green zone) and 19 in permissible zone.

 

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