SC stays NGT plan on new path to Vaishno Devi
TheSupremeCourton Monday stayed the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order directingopeningofanewpathto Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu forpedestriansandbattery-operated cars from November 24.
A bench comprising Justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta passed the order after the Shri MataVaishnoDeviShrineBoard toldtheapexcourtthatitwasnot possible to open the new path from November 24.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi,appearingfortheBoard, told the bench that the construction work of the new path was going on and it would be opened in February end next year.
Hetoldthecourtthattwopaths totheshrinewerealreadyoperational and this is the third path whichisbeingbuiltbytheBoard.
The bench also issued notice to the petitioner before the NGT on whose plea the Green Panel had given the direction on November 13.
Besides directing the opening of the new path, the NGT had capped the number of visitors to the Shrine at 50,000 per day.
It had also said that no horses or mules shall be allowed on the new route.
NEWDELHI:
The Green Panel had also directedtheauthoritiestoimpose afineofRs2,000onanyonefound littering roads as well as the bus stop at the nearby Katra town.
The directions were issued while NGT was hearing a plea filed by activist Gauri Maulekhi seeking to remove horses and mules from the path to the shrine, saying it was dangerousforpedestrians, especially senior citizens.
The petitioner had expressed concern over the “pollution and danger to public health” caused by indiscriminate use of horses, ponies, mules and donkeys,tocarrypilgrimsandgoods from Katra to the Vaishno Devi temple.