Srinagar: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh on Thursday directed Secretary Revenue and Secretary Irrigation and Flood Control Department, J&K, to inform it as to what has been done till date for the demarcation of the river Sindh.
Hearing on its own motion a Public Interest Litigation, a bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Sanjay Dhar directed the two officers to personally attend the court on November 15 and explain the reasons for not completing the demarcation in case the reports were not filed within a period of three weeks.
The court issued the direction after observing that already sufficient time was granted to the authorities for demarcation of the Sindh Nallah but the work was not being completed for one reason or the other.
“We require a compliance report to be filed not only by the Secretary, Revenue Department but also by the Secretary, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, clearly stating as to what has been done till date for the purposes of demarcation of the river and as to how much time is proposed to be taken for completion of the above task,” the Court said.
With regard to various suggestions submitted by the Amicus Curiae, Nadeem Qadiri on environmental protection including removal of illegal constructions having come up along river Sindh, the court asked Additional Advocate General M A Chashoo to file response to them within three weeks and “no more”. This the court said after the state counsel sought more time to file response to the suggestions.
Meanwhile, the Court directed Advocate General to ensure compliance of the directions contained in its order dated 11 August, 2021 with regard to convening of meeting of the officers of Gulmarg Development Authority and Sonmarg Development Authority regarding various issues relating to environmental protection and submit a report by next date of hearing.