Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Sept 12: The Pollution Control Board (PCB) has informed the High Court that the air and noise pollution levels of Srinagar city are beyond permissible limits. The Court rapped the PCB for not regulating the pollution levels in the city and also issued contempt notice to Chief Engineer R&B Department for non-compliance of Court orders.
Court after perusal of status report which revealed worst condition of air quality in Srinagar city. “It is clear that the pollution in city on all places is beyond permissible limits. It is more surprising that the Chairman PCB as per the report is now asking for inputs, from all the stake holders with regard to medicate the degradation in air quality”, Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey recorded and directed the Chairman PCB to submit a report indicating the plan of action and the action taken before next date of hearing on these issues.
Court observed “what is surprising is the Boulevard area which shows the quality of air beyond permissible limits and no action plan has been submitted. We are surprised that why the air quality in Srinagar has deteriorated over the years. No steps have been taken by PCB despite they were duty bound to do so under various enactments.”
Court in the report found that all no horn zones have noise levels beyond permissible limits and directed adequate measures have to be adopted for which the legislation is already in place.
Response from Chief Engineer R&B was required with regard to suggestion already made by SSP traffic to ease-out the traffic mess. But no report has been submitted in that respect as also nobody was present on behalf of the department and no official was present from the R&B department today in the Court.
“Consequently we are constrained to issue contempt notice to CE R&B for non-compliance of directions of this Court. The contempt notice be issued to CE for 20.9.17 and he shall be personally present to answer the contempt”, DB directed.
Court has been informed that in terms of previous court orders sealing of Batamaloo bus stand has been done and the new bus stand at Parimpora has been made functional. However, the counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that this may not be the true position as the scrap and other things are still lying outside the road which leads to new district court complex at Moominabad.
In order to ascertain the correct position, Court directed Advocate Ateeb Kant to visit two bus stands and submit the report before the next date of hearing. Court directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to provide assistance to advocate Kant in order to submit the report before the Court.
Commissioner SMC Dr Shafkat Khan was present in the Court and he placed certain photographs along with his status report before the Court which indicated removal of encroachments on the roads and pavements. Court directed him to file further report indicating the overall picture along with photographs of the roads where the action has been taken.
As regards the integrated traffic management system, Court has been informed by the Commissioner SMC that process has been initiated in the first week of September and that by 15.9.2017 the junction of lay out drawing for the locations for signal system would be submitted to the SMC and agency would be starting the work on foundation work on roads in the third week of September after the lay out exercise is finalized. The agency stated that the entire project would be completed within a period of six months from 1.9.2017. Court directed the Commissioner SMC to file the updated before the next date of hearing.
With regard to paid parking zones Court has been informed that 2000 street parking slots were identified and the detailed study is undertaken by team with the Divisional Commissioner who has to take decision in the matter. Court directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to submit his report before the court as Srinagar city has been designated as one of the smart cities.
Court with regard to removal of structures at Qamarwari Chowk, has been informed that the structures have been identified by the R&B department and confirmed by SSP traffic. “The same shall be submitted to SMC and Divisional Commissioner so that necessary steps can be taken with regard to acquisition for removal of these structures”, DB directed.
The status report submitted by JKERA with regard work on Rambagh flyover and it is said that the nightshift is also going on at the project and certain stretch of the road from Rambagh to Naaz Crossing has already been macadamized. The Advocate General assured the Court that the work on flyover shall be continued as expeditiously as possible and shall submit a complete time line for the completion of the project.
With regard to the issue of wheel clamps, it is submitted that the proposal has already been forwarded and there is some financial implication perhaps. Court directed the Director General of Police to look into the matter so that the appropriate funds are released.
With regard to segregation of inter city and intra city transport, the Transport Commissioner was required to file a detailed status report. AG submitted that the draft report has been prepared on behalf of the Transport Commissioner but he (AG) was not satisfied with the same and hold the affidavit for better affidavit. “He shall do so within two weeks”, court directed.
Divisional Commissioner was also required to submit his report with regard to committee constituted under Court directions for further progress to ease the traffic congestion. Court has been informed by the AG that the meeting was convened on yesterday. The minutes are not available. “Same shall be placed on record by next date”, read the order.
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