Shut 44 illegal hotels in Kasol: HC

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, December 7

The High Court today directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, to shut down 44 hotels which are illegally operating at Kasol in Kullu.

Passing this direction, the court further directed the DC to disconnect the electricity and water supply of these hotels immediately.

It further directed him to act as a nodal officer and coordinate with all departments for ensuring that all encroachments were removed. The court also ordered that no establishments at Kasol should be allowed to operate except in accordance with law. The court directed the Director General of Police and also the Zonal Director, NCB, Chandigarh, to continue with such operations and file a fresh status report within four weeks.

The court passed these directions after perusing the report filed by the Joint Inspection Committee. Its report says out of 60 hotels in Kasol, 44 are neither having permission from the Tourism Department, nor do they have any consent to operate in terms of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

In this report, it was further informed that some of these establishments had also encroached on forest land and raised construction.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma passed these orders on a petition taken up suo motu by the court as a PIL petition on the issue of drug menace in the state. The court expressed concern that the drug menace was one of the serious problems.

The Court had directed the Superintendent of Police, Kullu, as well as Zonal Director, Narcotics Control Bureau, Chandigarh, on October 25 to constitute a Joint Task Force to raid all restaurants, hotels and dhabas in and around Kasol and Malana to stop illegal activities. The force was also directed to visit Malana village and ensure complete eradication of contraband and take action against people indulging in illegal trade of contrabands.

DC nodal officer

• The Bench directs the DC to act as a nodal officer and coordinate with all departments for ensuring that all encroachments are removed
• The court also orders that no establishments at Kasol should be allowed to operate except in accordance with law
• The court orders the DGP and also the Zonal Director, NCB, Chandigarh, to file a fresh status report within four weeks