Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Monday directed a committee headed by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to carry out a physical inspection to verify if illegal structures without leases are operating in Gulmarg resort.
The court passed the direction after a report dated 11 August filed by Shoukat Ahmad Kuthoo, Divisional Forest Officer Tangmarg, giving details of encroachments by certain hoteliers.
The court said, “No action appears to have been taken while pointing out the report of the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla which stated that there are 18 structures which have no lease at all.”
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta said, “Let these reports be placed before the newly constituted Committee headed by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir who shall ensure that the matter is verified on the physical inspection and true position is placed before the Court before the next date of hearing.”
The court also directed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gulmarg Development Authority to proceed to take action in accordance with law against all those persons who have violated the building permission which required the structures to be made of wood whereas concrete structures have been raised.
Meantime, a reply dated 25 August 2020 was filed by the Divisional Forest Officer, Special Forest Division Tangmarg (Forest Department), in compliance with court order dated 24 August 2020 wherein court had noted that the respondents refer to encroachments of various forest land without giving any details of the same.
The court had recorded that some of these encroachments are by major hoteliers in the Gulmarg area.
The court said, “It appears that valuable forest land has been encroached and the encroachments are being permitted to be perpetuated with impunity. This is a serious matter which needs to be looked into.”
The court directed the Forest and the Revenue Departments to place the details with respect to the total State Land and the Forest Land respectively in the Gulmarg area and the details of the land which is in possession of the Forest Department and the State Land which is in actual possession of the State.
The court also sought details of the extent and particulars of the persons encroaching on the land. “This report shall be filed within two weeks from today,” the court directed.
The court will again hear the matter on 15 October.

NUSRAT SIDIQ