Srinagar: In an ongoing matter that the court is hearing, the J&K High Court was informed by the government on Monday that 1,035 kanals of encroached land has been retrieved in Pahalgam.
A report filed by Mushtaq Simnani, Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority, submitted that in three anti-encroachment drives, 1,035 kanals of government, forest and wildlife land had been retrieved.
The report mentioned that on 8 October, 15 kanals of land was retrieved near Plaza Hotel and near Mamal area on 7 November, wildlife land measuring 120 kanals was retrieved.
The report stated that on 9 November, 200 kanals of forest land was retrieved in Lidroo area while on 10 November, 700 kanals was retrieved from Aru area.
It was also submitted that the anti-encroachment drive is ongoing.
Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta after taking the report on record directed the respondents to take action against the encroachers in terms of the court’s order dated 12 October, 2020, and were directed to file an action taken report in this regard.
Meantime, a compliance report was also submitted as per the orders of the High Court passed on 25 August, 2020, for undertaking digital documentation including videography, cadastral mapping, photography of existing structures and drone shooting. The report stated that the work has been taken up and entrusted to agency M/S I Kraft Software, Srinagar.
“The said agency is also working at Dal Lake Srinagar for similar job. The I-Kraft software has completed the process in 07 villages, that is, Aru, Mondlana, Firslana, Laripora, Pahalgam, Ganishbal and Mamal, out of 18 villages. The job is under process and will be accomplished on or before 15 December 2020,” the report said.
The court after noting this directed that its order dated 12 October, 2020, shall be strictly complied with and the Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority, shall place before the court a report on posting of signages and implementation thereof.
“He shall also place before this court the information with regard to the waste management (solid and liquid waste) including signages through electronic and print media,” the court directed.
The court will again hear the matter on 1 February, 2021.

NUSRAT SIDIQ