The High Court has appointed Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi as an expert to look into environment and ecology impact due to multi-storey commercial building which is coming up in proximity of River Jhelum in Rajbagh area here.
Hearing a plea, a division bench of the court also directed continuation of the prohibition on any construction imposed by it on November 10 till further orders.
“We hereby appoint Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science & Environment, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi as the Expert/Local Commissioner to assist the scrutiny by this Court,” the division bench said.
Sunita Narain, the court said, shall examine and give expert opinion on the permissibility of the construction being raised at the site, its impact from every angle on environment and ecology, its impact on the protection of River Jhelum.
The court asked Narain to examine the river management policy schemes, practices of Jammu and Kashmir and the status of the rivers to give expert opinion regarding protection and preservation of the rivers, the effect of construction along the rivers, impact of release of sewage into rivers, impact of dumping of garbages on river banks and rivers.”
The court also directed that the Government to examine the recommendations and take urgent steps to implement the same. “Ms. Sunita Narain shall be assisted by Ms. Sushma Chouhan, DC, Jammu, in the above exercise to be undertaken.”
The DC Jammu has been asked to examine the documents relied on by the builder, trace the title chain and submit a report. “Ms. Chouhan shall also examine the records relating to the land, its usage etc and submit a report to Ms. Sunita Narain.”
The court directed that the entire record of the case, including the revenue records, sale deeds, applications for non objection certificates filed, records relating to their processing and sanction accorded be placed before Narain for examination.
“Ms. Sunita Narian shall carefully scrutinize the same and submit a report to this court on the issues noted by us in the order dated 10th November 2020 and the present order,” the bench added.