Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 5: High Court, apart from seeking rehabilitation of Dal dwellers, has directed the Government to inform it about the rehabilitation of commercial unit holders including hoteliers around the lake.
The Division Bench of Justice Sanjay Dhar and Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal has in this connection sought a latest status report indicating there-in the latest progress of rehabilitation and relocation policy of commercial units who have agreed to close down their hotels from the lake.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has filed his report indicating there-in that the Chief Secretary has conducted a meeting and on various issues regarding relocation and rehabilitation of families and persons within and around Dal Lake and as per decision has one of the agenda items of the meeting the Revenue Department was to draft an action plan regarding relocation and rehabilitation of the families residing within and around Dal lake.
It was also indicated in the report that the LCMA shall share, draft policy regarding rehabilitation of the commercial units of the Dal Lake with the Revenue Department under intimation to the Divisional Commissioner’s office.
The draft agenda is awaited from the other stakeholders, and as such the drafted policy would be discussed after taking into account all aspects of the matter. “In order to determine the issues involved in the matter, it is essential to know the latest progress of Rehabilitation and Relocation policy of Commercial units including that pertaining to the hotel of the petitioner who has agreed to close down/relocate his hotel from the Dal Lake”, court said and directed that Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, shall file a latest status report indicating the progress of rehabilitation policy by or before the next date of hearing.
It was pursuant the then Committee of Experts (CoEs) as appointed by the court on Dal Lake has accorded a hearing to the petitioner-hotelier in which the Vice Chairman, LCMA, Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board and Director Tourism Kashmir had been requested to be present. The Committee of Experts has noticed that the hotel was located on the Dal Lake without any sewage treatment facility and the only sewage facility was through a soakage pit and the septic tank, both of which were ineffective. The Committee of Experts has noticed that disposal of sewage from the hotel was directly flowing into the Dal Lake.
Court earlier directed for looking the issue of rehabilitation and relocation by the Chief Secretary who shall appoint a Committee of officers and the Nodal Department which would be responsible for entire rehabilitation work. This Committee was directed prepare the details of all necessary steps and the timelines within which the rehabilitation of the relocates from the Dal Lake shall be completed.
The Government, court had directed, may most expeditiously devise a policy for rehabilitation of commercial units since it does not have one at present. The then CoE advises that the Government of J&K may examine the policy in this regard available under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. 2013. The Policy court said, may cover all cases that fall in the category of commercial units to avoid complaints in future and should be devised urgently.
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