Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 24: The High Court today directed the State Pollution Control Board to carry out a survey of the Hotels in Pahalgam to check as to whether STPs are functioning within permissible limits.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey while dealing with PIL about the Protection of ecologically fragile environs of Pahalgam from further destruction and damage directed the PCB to check the hotels and other commercial buildings as to whether the STPs are functioning properly or not.
Court also directed for complete action plan for treatment of sewage and solid waste and sought report whether the solid waste management rules of 2016 are implemented in letter and spirit and report the court within 3 weeks.
Court in this regard directed Pahalgam Development Authority and State Pollution Control Board to consult each other and make a joint action plan to bring the solid waste in line with the provisions of law.
Court also heard a series of application in which permission for repair or renovation of structures was sought from the court. It decided these application with the direction that the applicant approach to BOCA for the same.
Court directed in case applications have not been filed before BOCA then the applicant shall approach the authority with one week and thereafter BOCA shall decide the same strictly in tune with Master Plan.
Court while granting this relief of applicants reiterated that all constructions in impermissible areas shall be frozen and no further construction shall be allowed even though in permissible areas and made it clear that there shall be no fresh construction within the peripheries of Pahalgam limits and in case any repair for permissible areas is required that shall be strictly in accordance with law and governing the field.
Court has also taken into consideration the issue of garbage in and around the resort and directed the authorities to take care of the issue and save the resort from pollution.
Court has been apprised that in the revised Master Plan of Pahalgam clarification of zones have been included as court directed and these zones, the State Counsel submitted, have been mentioned as construction and non-construction zones on either sides of the river. Besides that Forest area zone, wildlife area zone and boundaries of the Pahalgam resort have also been mentioned in the Master Plan.
The Government it may be mentioned had finalized revised Master Plan of entire Pahalgam area which was based on the recommendations of the expert committee under the directions of the court and thereafter presented it before court to which some queries were raised like clarification with regard to wildlife zone, forest area, etc.
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