Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 13: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed the Government against conversion of hotels into guest houses after it received a complaint that some Government officials are facilitating the conversion.
The conversion as per the complaint is done to get exemption from installing STPs and Soakage Pits as directed by the court.
The Division Bench Comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice MH Attar took strong note of the act of Legal Advisor PCB and Assistant Director (Registration) Tourism Department who are suggesting the hoteliers to convert their hotels into guest houses. The court directed that it shall be ensured that no such conversion is permitted and the departments have been restrained from passing any conversion orders.
The court passed these directions after perusal of a complaint and issued notice to respondents that were accepted by their counsel Advocate Mohsin Qadri. The court directed that it should be ensured that no such conversion is permitted.
Court directed: “Mr Qadri shall ensure that no such conversion is permitted and the Assistant Director (Registration) Tourism Department is restrained from passing any order granting conversion to the already existing hotels by treating them as guest houses.”
Court issued a specific notice to Legal Advisor PCB asking him as to why action may not be taken against him for tendering the advice of conversion of hotels into guest houses to the hoteliers by which he is violating law and orders of the court.
Court further directed both the official to file the list of their assets before the next date of hearing. “Both Legal Advisor of PCB and Assistant Director (Registration) Department of Tourism shall file the list of their immoveable and movable assets before next date of hearing”, the court directed.
The court was hearing a complaint treated as application, filed by inhabitants of Srinagar through one Bashir Sadiq Khan of Hyderpora where it has been alleged that the Assistant Director (Registration) Department of Tourism and Legal Advisor State Pollution Control Board has been advising all the hoteliers to replace their sign boards by showing their hotels as guest houses so as to exempt themselves from installing STPs and Soakage Pits as directed by the court.
The complainant submits that this process has begun throughout Srinagar City and other parts of the Valley. He further submits that Assistant Director (Registration) Tourism Department on huge monetary consideration is monitoring registration for their so called fake conversion.
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