GoM to examine Gulmarg master plan, HC told

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 12

The state government has informed the J&K High Court that the Gulmarg master plan, which was placed before the Cabinet for approval last week, is to be examined by a Group of Ministers on infrastructural development.

The court, which is hearing a PIL on Gulmarg tourist resort, has now directed the government to complete the exercise during the ensuing summer vacation and place the results of the same before the court on next date.

These directions were issued today by a division bench of the court after the Advocate General informed it that the Gulmarg master plan was placed before the Cabinet for approval during its meeting on June 7. He further submitted that the same was to be examined by a Group of Ministers on infrastructural development.

The bench further directed the Pollution Control Board (PCB) to visit the hotels at Gulmarg to find out as to whether the hotels were complying with the pollution control norms and if not, then the same hotels be sealed.

The High Court also observed that the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) does not know the total extent of the area of the Gulmarg resort following submissions by the Advocate General.

The CEO of the GDA in his affidavit, taken on record by the court, said the complete area had been mentioned in SRO-112 (government order) of March 23, 1990, which was also placed on record before the court. But another order, SRO 61 of 2008 indicates that 26 more villages are within the local area of the GDA. “The details of those villages have to be verified by the revenue authorities and the same be placed before the court,” the court directed.