Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 16: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rashid Ali Dar today directed Director Tourism Kashmir to furnish full details of all the hotels, guest houses and house boats situated in and around Dal Lake.
“The same shall be plotted on a physical map to enable identification and location and all the details shall be posted on the website of the Director Tourism Kashmir within a period of four weeks from today”, the DB further directed.
After completion of this exercise, the Director may consider the requests for renewal of licenses made by hotels, guest houses and house boats (which have earlier been granted a license), the DB said, adding grant of such renewal shall be subject to the final recommendations which may be made by the committee of experts regarding the measures for closure/rehabilitation /relocation/compensation etc. if any, keeping in view the health of the Dal Lake.
Earlier, on September 18, 2018, the High Court had directed the State authorities, for the time being, to withhold issuance of any further license till evaluation is received from the committee of experts.
DB further observed, “the application has been necessitated for the reason that the Tourism Department is receiving requests from the owners of the hotels, guest houses and house boats, for renewal of licenses which have been expired during the pendency of the case”, adding “the Director Tourism has sought clarification as to whether the direction stands extended to renewal of already granted licenses”.
“We have requested the committee of experts for suggesting the ideal/optimum number of the hotels, guest houses and house boats keeping in view the health of the Dal Lake”, the DB said.
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