Srinagar: The High Court on Wednesday prohibited use of plastic in all parks and green spaces in Jammu and Kashmir.
A division bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Sanjay Dhar while hearing on its own motion a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) directed that all the authorities maintaining the parks shall see that no plastic or plastic material was thrown in the parks and green spaces except in the dustbins which shall be cleared periodically.
The court also directed in line with its earlier orders dated 12.02.2020 and 23.10.2020 a complete prohibition of the constructions in all the parks, open and green spaces.
“We direct that to minimize illegal activities allegedly being carried out in some of the parks and open spaces to ensure that all boundary walls of the parks be kept transparent so that people from outside can have an eye on the activities inside,” the court said
The Court held that the authorities would undertake construction of sufficient washrooms and toilets at appropriate places to be earmarked by some expert in each of the park and to construct proper pathways wherever feasible.
The Court also directed the authorites to take effective steps in accordance with law for the removal of all encroachments or unauthorized constructions from all parks and green spaces.
“No construction in the vicinity is raised without the proper permission or sanction of the map by the competent authority”, it said.
The Court directed the deputy commissioner, Srinagar to consider the feasibility of having at least a quarterly meeting of all the authorities responsible for maintaining and developing various parks and garden including the heritage gardens so as to coordinate their working and to record the minutes thereof for submission before the court, if necessary.
“The Divisional Commissioner, Srinagar, as well as Jammu are directed to submit periodical reports with regard to the progress of the work of the Divisional Level Committees constituted vide order dated 14.09.2018”, court said.