Did the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS) get a raw deal in the resolution of the land row?
New agreement denies Amarnath board old rights
SRINAGAR: Did the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS) get a raw deal in the resolution of the land row?
The cabinet order 184-FST dated May 26, 2008, “diverted” the land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) but kept its proprietary status unchanged. It did not mention that the transfer was for a specific period and the land would have to be returned to the forest department after the two-month yatra.
According to the earlier order, SASB could construct a railway line between Baltal and the Amarnath cave, i.e. through the forest area. In that case, the board was only required to “construct complete retaining/breast walls on both sides of the road or railway line or earthwork, tunneling, etc., and take other necessary steps to minimize soil erosion.
The new agreement grants no such permission.
The agreement between SASS and the four-member central panel headed by the governor stipulates that the state government set aside 38 hectares of land in Baltal and Somail, which is “traditionally under use for the annual yatra”, exclusively for SASB.
More intriguingly, SASS has agreed that only permanent residents would be allowed to create facilities.
The earlier order did not have these conditions and was more flexible, giving SASB the liberty to choose people to provide facilities to yatris.
Insider say the government consulted people “who matter” in Kashmir for two days before the proposal was given to SASS for consideration. “I know some people in the intelligentsia were consulted before the draft was submitted to SASS. This was done to avoid any misunderstanding which could flare up into a major crisis,” a respected citizen of the Valley said.
Even the government was surprised at the way things fell in line. “The way things settled surprised us because we were thinking SASS would not like the words exclusive use rights,” a senior officer said.
h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net
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