HC seeks satellite map of Pahalgam

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 21

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has sought a satellite map of the Pahalgam tourist resort indicating the forested area and the no-construction zone along the Lidder, which flows through the resort town in south Kashmir.

A division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey issued these directions in a public interest litigation on the protection and preservation of the ecologically fragile environment of Pahalgam.

The court observed that the satellite map be presented so that appropriate directions could be passed on the authorities concerned for saving the resort from “vandalisation” in future due to “human greed.”

During the hearing today, all officials concerned, including the secretaries of the Revenue and Forest Departments, Anantnag Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Pahalgam Development Authority, were present.

However, the Secretary Tourism was not present as directed. The court took it seriously by observing that he was the most important person in the plan of saving the Pahalgam resort from complete commercialisation and exploitation at the hands of people, who the court said were only interested in money. The court also sought a list of all unauthorised structures coming up in the area by the next date.

Move aimed at saving tourist destination 

The court observed that  the satellite map be presented so that appropriate directions could be passed on the authorities concerned for saving the resort from “vandalisation” in future due to “human greed.”