Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: BJP MLA from Chenani Dina Nath Bhagat today created embarrassment for the Government when he alleged unabated encroachments in Patnitop right under the nose of concerned authorities.
“The encroachment of forest land in Patnitop is going on right under the nose of the concerned authorities but no action is being taken”, he said while contesting the reply furnished by the Minister of State for Tourism Priya Sethi.
The Minister Incharge Tourism, in her reply, said that only 14 hoteliers had encroached the forest land out of which the land encroached by nine hoteliers has been retrieved. The issue of remaining five hoteliers is sub-judice, she added.
“Last year I was conveyed through written reply that cases of seven hoteliers are sub-judice but this time the Government says only five cases are pending in the courts”, BJP MLA said and sought to know the status of remaining two cases.
“Several hoteliers have encroached the forest land by shifting the boundary pillars installed by the Forest Department but the Government claims that no fresh encroachment has taken place”, the BJP MLA further said, adding “the unabated encroachments will destroy the only major tourist resort of Jammu”.
He further regretted that Government has failed to get stay of the court in respect of five hotels vacated during the past quite long time. The Chenani MLA also expressed serious concern over failure of the Government to promote Seojh, Dudu Basantgarh, Jug Dhar and Panchari areas despite having huge potential to attract tourists.
The MoS Tourism Priya Sethi, while replying to the queries of the BJP MLA simply said, “bring to my notice any fresh encroachment in Patnitop area and I will ensure that action is taken”.
However, Dina Nath Bhagat expressed dis-satisfaction over the reply on encroachments and tourism related facilities in Seojh, Dudu, Basantgarh, Jug Dhar and Panchari and staged walk-out.
He was also joined by Udhampur MLA Pawan Gupta, who too rued lack of attention towards tourist spots in his constituency.
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