Says Immediate Measures Need To Be Taken Before Situation Is Rendered ‘Hopeless’
SRINAGAR The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday sought consolidated statements about the funds received from the Central Government and their disbursement since 2002 till date regarding the water body, the flagship of Kashmirs tourism.
Observing that crores of rupees haven been spent on Dal Lake without any change on ground, a division bench of court said that immediate measures are necessary to be taken before the situation was rendered hopeless.
It is therefore, necessary to have an expert committee with most importantly the vision and the experience of having undertaken issues which involve wide spectrum, multi dimensional assessment, evaluation and resolution, a bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Dhiraj Singh Thakur said while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed in 2002.
Three names come to our mind so far as these attributes are concerned, who have made valuable contributions on several issues noted by us who have dealt with it on multistate level. The particulars of the three persons are Sreeedharan, Nivideta Dhar and M C Metha Renowned Environmentalist, the court said.
Earlier a compliance report was filed by Dr. Abid Rashid Shah, Vice Chairman, J&K Lakes & Waterways Development Authority pursuant to order dated September 10.
We are not satisfied with the submissions made therein, inasmuch as, they have not given any dates or particulars, the court said.
We find that year wise bunch of statements regarding the funds received from the Central Government and their utilization have been filed. These are not as per requisition. The respondents shall place before us a consolidated statements of the funds received from the Central Government and their disbursement since the year 2002 till date, the court said and posted the PIL for further consideration September 18.
The court also asked the government to furnish the list of persons, who were required to shift from their occupancies of land in the Dal Lake; the dates on which allotments were effected in their favour, the dates on which these persons took possession of the relocated plots and the dates on which they have been vacated from the place from which they were to shift.
The court was informed during the proceedings that even for the land which is required to be retrieved, no steps have been taken to enable the rehabilitation of the Dal lake. The respondents are unable to inform this Court even about the current status of the retrieved land, the court said.
The court was informed that under the state schemes Scheme Rehabilitation and Resettlement of Dal
Dewellers, out of Rs 150.53 crores released by the state government, it has spent 150.12 crores. For relocation of House Boats at Dole Demb, the state government has released Rs 9.74 Crores out of which Rs 1.43 crores have been spent. More over under Dal Development sector, the State government has released Rs 268.02 crores out of which 247.52 crores have been spent.
On enquiring about the particular of relocation and rehabilitation of Dal dwellers, the report of VC LAWDA reveals that even a vision document has not been finalized on account as the author of the document failed to participate in the deliberations.
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