Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 13: High Court today sought report on revised Master Plan, comprehensive Environment Impact Assessment and solid waste management for Sonmarg tourist resort.
The Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey while hearing suo moto proceedings on protection and preservation of Sonamarg sought report about various issues from the concerned authorities.
In compliance to the earlier order regarding relocation of proposed Golf Course, court has been informed that a meeting has been held by the BOCA wherein unanimously it has been decided that the Master Plan needs to be re-visited.
In this behalf BOCA is in the process of formulating some suggestions which are to be routed to the University of Kashmir to finalize comprehensive Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and on receiving the comprehensive EIA report court today has been informed that necessary steps will be taken to incorporate the EIA in the revised Master Plan.
According to Amicus Advocate Nadeem Qadri there is some sort of progress and the Chief Town Planner has pointed out certain glaring mistakes and errors. Confronted with the same, the CEO submitted that so far the suggestions have been routed to the University of Kashmir for finalization of comprehensive assessment report. The BOCA is in the process of collecting all the suggestions and only thereafter these suggestions will be compiled and will be sent to the University of Kashmir for finalization of EIA.
Amicus Qadri informed the court that he has made certain suggestions which have been already taken note of but he wants to give some more suggestions which will be for better health of the environment of resort. “He shall do so and file a copy of the same in this court with copy in advance to BOCA”, DB said.
CEO SDA informed the court that the deliberations are on and various positive steps have been taken and it is only thereafter all suggestions will be collected and same will be sent to the University of Kashmir so as to enable it to finalize the comprehensive assessment report and sought some time for doing the needful.
In the status report filed by the SDA, it is also stated that the Pollution Control Board has visited the Sonmarg in the month of October 2017 and examined the dumping site at Sarhal and assured that the report in this behalf would be submitted of their own before the court.
About the installation of the disintegrator for disposing of the non-bio degradable waste at Sonmarg, court has been informed the installation of the disintegrator for disposing of the non-bio degradable waste at Sonmarg was agreed in principle by the Government. The communication has been sent to the Commissioner Secretary to Government, Tourism Department, perusal of which suggests that on 22.09.2017 the CEO has conveyed it to the Commissioner that in pursuance to the instructions given by the Chief Secretary on 20.09.2017 regarding procurement/installation of EMT capacity waste treatment and system and non-biodegradable waster electromagnetic disintegrated system at the site in the same practice as has been purchased and installed by the Phalgam Development Authority.
There is no response so far, however, CEO submitted that he has again taken up the matter with the Government conveying that the SDA has from its own recourses an amount of Rs. 40.00 lakh, available, which is required for the development of Golf course, however, response is awaited.
“He should again take up the matter with the Government. After permission is granted by the concerned authority which the authority must do without any further loss of time, thereafter the CEO shall ensure that the machine of great quality and standard is purchased from whichever company it shall be proper that too after adhering to all necessary codal formalities”, Court said.
In the status report it has also been stated that the hoteliers have been asked to install the solid waste treatment plants as per the norms in their premises so that all non-biodegradable waste is disposed off.
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