Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday banned all construction on the land till a consensus is reached on the issue in an all-party meet.
Azad bans construction on land till all-party meet SRINAGAR: Succumbing to intense public pressure over the transfer of 39.88 hectares of forest land at Baltal to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday banned all construction on the land till a consensus is reached on the issue in an all-party meet.
“We will convene an all-party meeting soon to build a consensus on the issue. Till then no construction will take place on land diverted to SASB in Baltal,” Azad said.
Asked whether separatist parties, who spearheaded the campaign against the transfer will be invited, Azad said everybody was welcome to participate in the meeting and put across their point of view.
The transfer of the land to the SASB triggered protests by separatist and mainstream parties who described it as a violation of the special status enshrined in the Constitution under Article 370.
The PDP, which draws its support primarily from the Kashmir valley, is also facing criticism as its leader, forest minister Qazi Mohammad Afzal, gave his nod to the deal. The party has convened a meeting of its legislators on June 30 to decide whether to stay in the government or call it quits.
The PDP has 19 members in the 87-member legislative assembly and is the main alliance partner in the ruling coalition. The Congress has 21 MLAs and the support of eight independents, which have been designated as associate members. It also has the support of two CPI(M) members and some members of People’s Democratic Forum. But it needs 46 members to stay afloat, for which the PDP’s support is crucial.
Under pressure for facilitating the purported transfer of the forest land, the deputy chief minister said the land has only been “diverted temporarily” for the two-month Amarnath Yatra period and the “structures raised over it will be demolished after the pilgrimage is over”.
But the state cabinet order no 94/7 dated May 20, 2008, has no such clause that the diversion is valid for the Yatra period. The order only states that “the forest land so diverted shall be utilised for the purpose for which it has been diverted”.
Appealing for calm, Azad said the state is known world over for its secular credentials. “I appeal to the people to maintain peace. In 1947 when the entire country was on the boil, Kashmir was calm. In 1990 when people in lakhs left their homes due to militancy, they were welcomed by people in Jammu with open arms. We need to preserve this tradition,” he said.
h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net 
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