Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 3: Generating hope about the early start of work on first ever two passenger ropeways in the Jammu region, the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court of India today had detailed inspection of the site for Jammu ropeway project and is going to visit the proposed alignment of Patnitop Gandola tomorrow.
The team comprising P V Jayakrishanan (Chairman of Empowered Committee) and Mahendra Vyas and M K Muthoo (Members) arrived here this morning for the inspection of sites of both the projects to see whether the proposed ropeways would have any impact on the environment of the respective areas.
Accompanied by Divisional Commissioner, Pardeep Gupta, Deputy Commissioner, A K Sahu, senior officers of Forest, Wildlife and J&K Cable Car Corporation, the Central Empowered Committee team inspected two sites proposed for setting up of two terminals of the passenger ropeway at Peer Kho and Mahamaya. During the inspection, which continued for more than two hours, the team raised several queries, which were answered to their satisfaction by the State Government officers, sources said.
The team was briefed about the surveys, studies and other activities carried out till date in order to ensure that the project doesn’t have any impact on the environment or ecology, sources said, adding the Central Empowered Committee sought some data from the State Government in support of the petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking clearance for the project.
The necessary information would be furnished to the visiting team on June 5 when it will return to the Union Capital for compliation of its report and submission of the same to the Apex Court.
“Apparently there was positive response from the visiting team and we are hopeful of Central Empowered Committee submitting favourable report to the Supreme Court”, some of the State Government officers accompanying the team said on the condition of anonymity.
In the afternoon, the team left for Patnitop where it will inspect the proposed Gondola tomorrow morning. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Patnitop Development Authority, Raman Kesar will furnish all the requisite information to the team before the start of site(s) inspection.
Stating that both the ropeways have cleared major impediments, sources said, “if cleared by the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee there would be no problem in going ahead with the construction of these projects, which are of much importance for tourism promotion in Jammu region by way of diverting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims”, sources said.
Earlier in the morning, Minister for Housing, Raman Bhalla called on the visiting team and apprised them of the importance of both the projects for the people of Jammu region. He elaborated the team the role which these ropeway projects will play in retaining the number of tourists visiting the tourist spots of Jammu especially Patnitop and City of Temples following extension of train service to Katra and widening of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The Patnitop ropeway project has already received clearance from the National Wildlife Board, State Wildlife Board and Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Similarly, Mubarak Mandi-Bahu Fort-Mahamaya Temple ropeway project has received the nod of State Board of Wildlife and the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife. However, clearance from the Expert Appraisal Committee of Ministry of Environment and Forests is under process.
It is pertinent to mention here that it was in the background of the tremendous pressure on forests and the unsustainable removals besides the real threat of massive destruction of wildlife habitat that the Supreme Court of India intervened and constituted Central Empowered Committee to look into these issues and the Committee is playing a pioneering role in its efforts to save forest and wildlife.
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