HC asks J&K Govt to act against officials violating SMP

Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the state government to identify and initiate action against officials responsible for violation of the Srinagar Master Plan (SMP).
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on illegal constructions in the city, a division bench of Justices M H Attar and A M Magray yesterday asked the state government to submit details of the properties of these officials.
The court has given a week's time to the state government to submit the report.
"To ensure that violations are not repeated in future, the State and all other concerned authorities are duty-bound to identify the officials responsible for the same and initiate action against them in accordance with the law," the bench had said.

The Court has directed the state government to inform it about the movable and immovable properties possessed by these officers of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) and other concerned agencies on the next date of hearing scheduled for November 8.
Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir Mohammad Ishaq Qadri had sought two months' time to file the report on policy decision of the Government on the violations but the Court allowed it only one week to file the report.

The Court also turned down the Government plea that owners of 42 structures, which have been sealed by the SMC so far, be allowed to operate their business till the Government comes with its proposed policy decision.

The Government also informed the Court that it proposes to take strict action against the officers or officials, who have facilitated the violations in Srinagar Master Plan, by the way of issuing termination orders, premature retirement orders or framing an inquiry committee to look into the matter.
A 2009 Government report has revealed that there are 2500 structures in Srinagar that have come up in violation of master plan guidelines.