Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 25: High Court has sought an affidavit from the Commissioner Secretary Tourism indicating therein as to why the delay has been caused in rehabilitation of shopkeepers of Gulmarg tourist resort.
The direction followed after the Gulmarg Development Authority counsel M A Chashoo (AAG) informed the court that the Chief Executive Officer has taken all possible steps for the rehabilitation of affected shop-keepers but he is not the sole authority to take a decision in this regard and that other administrative authorities are also involved and the matter is under consideration before the Commissioner Secretary, Tourism Department.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul directed the Commissioner Secretary, Tourism Department to file an affidavit indicating the reasons of delay regarding rehabilitation of the affected shopkeepers.
The compliance report of Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority has already explained that action in the matter with regard to the rehabilitation of the affected shopkeepers has to be undertaken by the Government and in this regard a communication already stands addressed to the Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Tourism Department.
Court has already asked the CEO, GDA to examine all pending cases and ensure that proper steps are taken, qua all affected shopkeepers, even if they have not appeared before this Court. “The Secretary, Department of Tourism of the Government of J&K shall ensure that expeditious action is taken when the matter of rehabilitation of affected shopkeepers of Gulmarg who have been waiting for rehabilitation since the years”, reads the court direction.
The shops of aggrieved persons were dislocated by the GDA for beautification of resort way back in 1999 and some of them were rehabilitated leaving the aggrieved shopkeepers behind which compelled them to approach the portals of the court to seek the rehabilitation on the analogy as has been done with the case of other dislocated shopkeepers.
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