Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 15: High Court today sought report from the concerned authorities about the building raised on the Jhelum river bank in Srinagar.
The Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Sanjeev Kumar in an application filed by NGO directed the Municipal authorities and Deputy Commissioner Srinagar to submit the report to the representation of the applicant.
The applicant G H Kangoo, chairman of the People’s Environmental Council (NGO) submitted that on the west side of this flood basin of the river, a massive construction of a huge multi storied hotel inside this flood basin land is being allowed which will have adverse ecological effects on the vicinity in particular and Valley in general.
He submitted before the Court that the controversial hotel site is surrounded by road leading to Jawahar Nagar on three sides and on one side river Jhelum. It is impossible to access hotel from river side and on other available sides, road usually remain jam packed on peak hours.
He said, that in the year 2014 flood was a result of breaches in Jhelum bund and one such breach took place at the moot site.
Applicant Kangoo before the Court seeks for prohibiting construction around the bank of Jhelum River.
It is further submitted that on the east side an unauthorized car repairing/ service station is functional and a sizable open land has been filled by the adjacent hoteliers for unauthorized parking of vehicles. The encroachers have openly erected a sign-board claiming their proprietary rights on the said land.
He said that the land use of the whole area of Raj-Bagh in the Master Plan of Greater Srinagar City 2001-2020 is residential and the location of the moot hotel as per said plan is shown as a water body.
“On one hand the State Government is incurring huge money for the beautification of the bunds, but on the other hand they are hell bent upon ruining the same by allowing
constructions on river banks of Srinagar, thus the same is the clear violation of the law of the land”, read the application which was listed today before DB.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel