Div Com directs swift disposal of building permission cases in Eco Sensitive Zones
SRINAGAR: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, today instructed the members of the committee for Implementation of Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) Notification — pertaining to Dachigam National Park, Thajwas (Baltal) Wildlife Sanctuary, and Overa–Aru Wildlife Sanctuary — to take prompt and decisive action on construction permission cases, ensuring applicants are not subjected to unnecessary delays.
Chairing a meeting of officers at his office, the Div Com emphasized that prolonged pendency of such cases causes undue inconvenience to the public and must be avoided.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag, Pulwama, and Ganderbal, Regional Wildlife Warden, and representatives from the Tourism Department, Forest Department, SDA, Town Planning, Pollution Control Board, and National Society for Protection of Water Resources, Wetlands & Forests, besides other officials.
At the outset, the Wildlife Department presented detailed data on the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, including their fauna and the defined boundaries of the respective Eco Sensitive Zones.
The meeting held detailed discussions on individual permission cases and the observations of stakeholder departments regarding approval or rejection.
During the review, the Div Com directed immediate action in a case where a structure had been raised without obtaining the requisite permission. He further instructed the concerned authorities to prepare a map of the green corridor within the ESZ boundaries within two months.
Additionally, he asked the Wildlife Department to formulate a comprehensive action plan aimed at increasing the population of the Kashmir Stag (Hangul), with the goal of removing it from the list of critically endangered species.
