HC asks DC Bla, SSP to seal all illegal structures in Gulmarg before Dec 19

The High Court has formed an expert committee headed by Deputy Commissioner Baramulla to ensure that no illegal structure is constructed in famous tourist resort of Gulmarg.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against encroachments in Gulmarg, a single bench headed by Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar directed Deputy Commissioner Baramulla and SSP Baramulla to seal all the illegal constructions after on-spot inspection of the tourist resort.
“A committee of Deputy Commissioner Baramulla and SSP Baramulla is constituted. The committee shall visit the Gulmarg within three days time from today. It shall ensure that no illegal constructional activities are carried at Gulmarg,” the court said.
It directed the authorities to seal the structure in case illegal construction is found to be going on the spot.
The bench asked the expert committee to file the latest status report about the visit and any kind of illegal constructions by or before the next date of hearing, which will be held in the week commencing from December 19.
The court has observed that Dal, Jhelum, Pahalgam and other tourist places have been facing the threat of extinction due to illegal constructions.
“Some persons are in illegal possession of state land. If there would be a poor man in their place, you would throw him out within seconds,” the court had observed and reminded the government of its duty to enforce the law of land.
The court has already stopped all construction activities in Gulmarg.
“If any person violates the court directions and continues with the construction activities, then the GDA shall forthwith seal such structure,” the court had said.
The court had also directed that no building material or constructional material shall be transported to Gulmarg till further orders.
The PIL was filed in 2012 by one Mohammad Rafiq Zargar seeking directions to save the Gulmarg and Tangmarg from encroachments and pollution.