The Jammu and Kashmir government has declared around 1,358 kanals (169.75 acres) as “strategic areas” in the tourist hotspots of Gulmarg and Sonamarg in north and central Kashmir.
According to an order issued by the Tourism Department, 1,034 kanals and six marlas of land in Gulmarg and 354 kanals in Sonamarg have been notified as strategic areas by the authorities, while exercising powers under the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act.
It said the Corps Commander must ensure strict adherence to the environment laws.
“The Corps Commander shall ensure that no other applicable law in force in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is observed in breach,” said the order. It underlined that the officer shall ensure that orders passed by any court or tribunal are strictly adhered to.
This is for the first time since the Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and the J&K Development Act, 1970 were amended in 2020 that the government has issued such a notification.
As per the amendments, the government can notify “strategic areas” for use by the armed forces and regulating construction through a “special dispensation”.
The government said a special mechanism needed to be put in place for such strategic infrastructure needs.
“Whatever development takes place, especially when it is in the local areas of development authorities, it conforms to the overall developmental plan,” a spokesman stated.
The government noted that the notified “strategic areas” were within the existing armed forces land.
Political reactions
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “Allocating thousands of kanals to armed forces, that too in tourist areas, confirms GOI’s intention to convert J&K into a military garrison. Under the ‘state land’ pretext, our land is up for grabs and, to add insult to injury, locals are being evicted from their homes.”
National Conference (NC) general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said the Act, introduced after Agugst 5, 2019 “will be used arbitrarily to grab civilian, tourist and other mineral resources rich areas.” “The recent transfer order substantiates our detestation of the Act. The constitutional propriety demanded to halt any such decisions because such decisions are a consequence of August 5,2019 decisions, which are constitutionally suspect and awaiting the due validation from the Supreme Court,” he stated.
CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami asked the government “to review its decision”. “Gulmarg and Sonamarg, along with Pahalgam are three most popular tourist destinations and need to be promoted for tourism purposes. The need of the hour is to develop tourism infrastructure in Kashmir, which can generate employment. We hope that the government will review its decision,” he observed.
