Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, June 5: Sonamarg meadows have been turned into concrete jungle with Government issuing unlimited permissions for constructions and that too have been grossly violated with top officials hand in glove with the violators.
A detailed inquiry report with photographic evidence (around 500 photographs) prepared by the Tourism Department in 2013 about gross violations of building permissions in Sonamarg is lying in Civil Secretariat for last three years. Since politicians and bureaucrats are allegedly involved in facilitating such illegal construction, and are silent partners in these hotels, no action has been taken after the report was submitted to the government.
Instead then Chief Executive Officer of Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) was transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner Anantnag and then as CEO of Pahalgam Development Authority. In Pahalgam too, the illegal constructions are at galore, despite Jammu and Kashmir High Court directions and monitoring.
The inquiry into Sonamarg illegal constructions was ordered by then Government after Governor, N N Vohra, expressed his concern over Sonamarg meadows being turned into concrete jungle. The extensive investigations that were conducted by a group of officials from various departments have listed around 150 structures. Majority have no permissions and those who have (mostly given in 2011 and 2013), has been grossly violated it and some of these constructions have even come up on Sindh Nallah, not only against the violations of building permissions but also against High Court guidelines.
The report says that the Hotel Sonamarg Glacier (permission No. 63 SON/CTP/86 dated 06/12/19986) has Motel permission for Plinth area of 2541 square feet. However, it has two more structures with plinth area of 7188.33 square feet and 2886 square feet. The height of the buildings is also above the norms and the building coverage permission has to be 15 percent of plot area while it is 60 percent.
Hotel Burzman of Ali Mohammad Khan of Shalimar (Permission No. CEO/SDA/BPC/07 dated 10-03-2011) has permission for two hotel blocks of 1428 square feet each. The plinth area of both the blocks exceeds by 629 square feet and he has illegally constructed another block of basement pattern with plinth area 1890 square feet and store with plinth area 102 square feet. The height of the hotel and coverage area is beyond norms and there is also an illegal basement.
Hotel Tranquil Retreat belonging to Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Haripora Kangan (Permission No. 3/CEO/SDA/C /05 dated 21-01-2011) has permission for construction of hotel with plinth area of 2120 square feet but he has constructed hotel block with plinth area of 8084 square feet and has exceeded the plinth area by 5964.09 square feet. He has also constructed a basement illegally and hotel height also exceeds permissible limits.
Hotel Divine INN of Ghulam Mustafa Bazaz (Permission No. CEO/SDA/BPC/08 dated 30-04-2011) has permission for one hotel with plinth area of 4351 square feet on four kanals of land. He has constructed two structures, one of them illegally with plinth area 1183 square feet. He has also exceeded the building height.
Hotel Sun Shine of Mohammad Sultan Bhat of Kangan (Permission No. CEO/SDA/BPC/06 dated 09-02-2011) has permission for construction of two huts with plinth area of 1200 square feet each. He has constructed the two huts with plinth area of 1288 square feet each and an additional illegal hut with plinth area 850.155 square feet and he has constructed the huts on Sindh Nallah.
Hotel Thajwas Glacier belonging to Ghulam Mohammad Magray of Kangan (Permission No. 3/CEO/SDA/BPC dated 14-01-2011) has permission for construction of two huts with plinth area of 1204 square feet each but he has constructed four huts with plinth area of 1396.43 square feet each and third and fourth huts with plinth area of 1426.75 Square feet and 1879.12 square feet respectively and they are on Sindh Nallah.
Besides this, the report says, there are four structures belonging to Wazir Ahmad Jara, Shehjan Jara, Mohammad Zaman Jara and Zahoor Ahmad Khan at Gojjar Pati near Godikul in Sonamarg, which have been constructed illegally.
The report also lists 100 structures including shops and hotels that have been built over the decades without any permission.
The building permissions issued for the constructions in Sonamarg has 45 guidelines which have been grossly violated. The guidelines suggest that the demarcation of the constructions have to be made in presence of Executive Engineer, AEE SDA, Khilafwarzi Inspector and representatives of Revenue Department.
And after completion of plinth, these officers have to certify that the norms have been followed and construction upto lintel level can be allowed. The basement is not permitted and roof should be painted green and height of building should not be beyond 25 feet. The concrete structures are not allowed and the structures have to be made of wood and local stone but it has been grossly violated and concrete column structures have come up. The fencing has to be of local stone and timber but majority has grill fencing.
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