Vaishno Devi: When will you finalise rehab plan, NGT asks J-K govt

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today expressed dissatisfaction over the status report filed by the Jammu and Kashmir government on rehabilitation plan for those engaged in carrying pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine on horses and mules, which have now been barred.

A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Jawad Rahim said it was inclined to summon the state chief secretary to explain the default in implementation of the rehabilitation scheme.

However, after a lot of persuasion by the state's counsel, the green panel gave him a day to clearly inform it about the time within which the government will comply with the directions of the tribunal.

"We had commenced dictating the order being dissatisfied with the status report filed and in fact expressed that we would like to have presence of the Chief Secretary of the State of Jammu and Kashmir before the tribunal to answer for the default committed by the State in implementation of the rehabilitation scheme.

"However the counsel G M Kawoosa very fervently requests that he may be given time of one day to make a categoric statement as to the period of time within which the State will comply with the directions of the tribunal in finalising and implementing the Rehabilitation Scheme which is a subject matter for consideration," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.

The NGT had earlier slammed the state government for "open defiance" of its order on rehabilitation plan for horses and mules and their owners. It had asked all stakeholders including representatives from Jammu and Kashmir government, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and association of mule owners to sit together and come up with a solution.

It had last year directed creation of a new path between Katra and the shrine exclusively for pedestrians and battery-operated cars and directed that no horse or mule would be allowed on the new route to the shrine and the animals removed gradually from the old path as well.

The tribunal had earlier capped the number of pilgrims at Vaishno Devi at 50,000 per day and directed the authorities to impose a fine (environment compensation) of Rs 2,000 on anyone found littering the roads as well as the bus stop at the nearby Katra town.

It had made it clear that if the number of pilgrims exceeded the prescribed 50,000 cap, they would be stopped at Ardhkuwari or Katra town, considering that the Vaishno Devi structure cannot accommodate more than 50,000 people.

The green panel's directions had come during the hearing of a plea filed by activist Gauri Maulekhi seeking directions to stop the use of horses and ponies in the Vaishno Devi shrine premises in Jammu.