Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Tuesday directed Secretaries of the Housing & Urban Development Department, Tourism Department, Environment and Forest Department, Floriculture Department , and the Chief Executive Officers of Pahalgam Development Authority, Gulmarg Development Authority, Sonamarg Development Authority, and Patnitop Development Authority to remain present through video conferencing on the next date of hearing to explain why they had not given due publicity to “prohibition of polythene”.
The court said that Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were ecologically fragile areas and the prohibition on polythene was required to be strictly enforced.
“It is essential that the respondents give due publicity of the prohibition and apprise all vehicle owners and the public at large about the legal position,” the court directed.
The court also directed the respondents to notify the public regarding the prohibitions and disclosing the liabilities which shall flow to the vehicle/ owners for carrying such prohibited material including the financial liabilities/ fines.
When the matter came up for hearing today, the division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta recorded that in terms of orders dated 23rd of October, 2020, and 10th of November, 2020, they had passed certain directions to the respondents-authorities to file action taken reports in the matter.
“As per the report of the Registry, no such report has been filed by any respondents,” the court said.
“In view of this, the respondents shall remain present through video-conferencing on next date of hearing to explain why the compliance to the court orders has not been done,” the division bench ordered.
The court will again hear the matter on December 1.

NUSRAT SIDIQ