Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 10: High Court today directed Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Kashmir to appear personally in the court to explain as to why the illegal structures have not been removed from the banks of Lidder stream in Pahalgam.
A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and justice Hasnain Masoodi also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, to ensure close vigil and work with commitment so that no construction comes up within the radius of 200 meters.
The Bench was hearing a PIL filed by Pahalgam Peoples Welfare Organisation about the growing illegal constructions along the bank of the Lidder stream by influential people in the Valley.
Chief Engineer IFC had submitted a report that flagrant violations by five persons had taken place. On court directions, two structures were demolished by the IFC officials and, surprisingly, the IFC told court that they needed security to demolish the remaining three illegal structures.
The Bench pulled up the IFC Department as to why the security was required to demolish them when the two structures were demolished without any security.
On asking the latest status report of IFC Department, Advocate General M I Qadri stated that the concerned authorities are not responding. However, the Executive Engineer IFC was present in the court and he could not give satisfactory reasons about the removal of illegal constructions.
The court rapped the Executive Engineer and said his presence is of no use as he is not able to say anything in the mater and only submits that two illegal constructions were removed.
The Bench also granted eight weeks time to the Pahalgam Development Authority after its Chief Executive Officer stated that due to elections the Master Plan and Land Use Plan could not be finalized.
The court had in February directed the PDA to finalise Master Plan and Land Use Plan of Pahalgam.
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