HC bars new house boats for Dal Lake
WAJAHAT SHABIR. Updated: 7/22/2019 10:11:34 AM
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SRINAGAR: Aiming to restrict pollution and encroachments in Dal Lake, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the state Tourism Department to stop granting permissions for new house boats in the Lake.
Moreover, the court has also sought the details of the registered and unregistered houseboats in the lake before it on next date of hearing along with a site plan.
The division bench of High Court was hearing the matter of placing the name of owners along with the title of their house boats.
The court also sought a report in a mapping format with regard to relocation of houseboats. It further emphasized on beautification of pavements along the shores of the lake.
The government, meanwhile, informed the court that relocation of Dal Lake dwellers is under active consideration and submitted that an appraisal report will be placed before the court on the next date of hearing.
The court in its previous hearing observed that the matters related to Dal Lake, the flagship of Kashmir’s Tourism, have reached such an impasse that unless they are addressed immediately, “the battle may well have been lost—even before we have begun to fight the rot”.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed in 2002, the court noted that crores of rupees have been pumped into efforts for saving and protecting the world famous water body but “none of the measures have shown any result at all.”
“This case is yet another reminder of the unassailable proposition that interests of the environment cannot be compromised, that they must be placed well above individual interests and their impact is beyond any boundaries, that is to say universal in impact,” said a division bench headed by Chief Justice Gita Mittal.
“From 2002 when the (PIL) was filed till 2018, a series of orders of the Court have also proved to be of no avail. These orders include the order dated 23rd March, 2009 declaring the Dal Lake custodia legis.
Appointment of two Vigilance Commissioners who were required to visit the Dal Lake as far as possible on daily basis and submit weekly report, also did not stem the damage,” said the bench also comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar.
Updated On 7/22/2019 10:13:39 AM