CBI registers preliminary inquiry into alleged violations of Master Plan of Patnitop in J-K

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a preliminary inquiry on the orders of Jammu and Kashmir High Court into alleged violations of Master Plan of Patnitop (J-K) by hotel owners in the region, in conspiracy with public servants at Patnitop Development Authority and others.

An official statement said that this order has been passed in a PIL filed by the President of Hotel & Restaurant Association, Patnitop, wherein he has alleged about the glaring violation of the Master Plan of Patnitop area, resulting in 70 per cent of the hotels and restaurants having been constructed without permission.

Further, he had alleged that constructions have been illegally done on green buffer areas, forest land, State land including Kahcharai land in connivance with officials of Patnitop Development Authority and others.

The CBI has constituted a team of more than 30 officers who are presently camping at Patnitop, Udhampur, and Jammu in connection with this inquiry, which is in progress.

Sources in the investigative agency said the complainant has given a list of 59 hotels and guest houses. The CBI team has got documents of 50 of them and scrutiny of these documents is underway, they said.

CBI sources further said that the documents have been taken from DC office, forest department, tourism department, and electricity department and the scrutiny of the document is underway.

The hotels were allegedly running at Patnitop without any registration and authorisation from the competent authority. CBI sources said the hotel owners put the electricity and water connection obtained for domestic use to commercial use.