People in general will highly appreciate the decision of the State Government to impose ban on illegal constructions in Katra town. Though a belated decision yet it still has come when more damage to local environs could have happened in its absence. The Government announced a Master Plan for Katra in view of large influx of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi. Greedy people found that there could be very bright chances of establishing flourishing business in the town, went on grabbing the land wherever they could find it. Land grabbers have grabbed forest as well as patches of State land and then came up huge mountains of concrete, most of these as dormitories and hotels. This has led to the very shabby look of the hill town. However it has to be noted that the Katra Municipal Committee and the Master Plan authorities, too, are reported not to be able to decide at proper time how to mange the affairs. This is a sordid story and sooner it is resolved the better it would be. Katra should not become a ghetto town with narrow lanes that choke owing to crowds thronging in them day and night. The Master Plan Act 2010 has almost been forgotten and those who were supposed to be planners and guideline setters seem to be complacent in performing their duty.
It is highly appreciable that the Government has ordered the Forest Department to prepare a comprehensive note on the land grabbing cases and show full details of the forestland that has been illegally occupied. Katra will attain added importance once the rail link between Udhampur and Katra is established. Therefore before the situation becomes uncontrollable, the stakeholders in Katra should meet and take decisive manures of maintaining the cleanliness and environmental attraction of Katra and its surroundings.
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