SDA in focus

Sonamarg Development Authority has been in focus from the past few years, as they have not been able to explain how and why, Sonamarg has been turned into a concrete jungle. With each passing day, new concrete structures are being built and the authorities are only passing the buck. After all, all the wings of the government are responsible for keeping the green bowl of Sonamarg alive and to stop the construction of hotels in its entire green land.

There are many illegal structures in violation of Master Plan and tried to shift the blame on other wings of the government. The Master Plan is approved by State Cabinet. All the Tourism Development Authorities have Chief Minister as Chairman, Tourism Minister as Vice-Chairman and CEO has very limited role and powers in such matters, is the favourite media bite of the Sonamarg Development Authority. State Governor Satya Pal Malik has an opportunity to intervene and save this Sonamarg green bowl from such vandalism. Raj Bhawan can take a decision to save Sonamarg for the future generations and they have an advantage that there are no political compulsions for Raj Bhawan in such matters.

According to the data available in SDA, Government of Jammu and Kashmir to the surprise of environmentalists approved Master Plan for Sonamarg inside the green bowl, which is part of Thajiwas Wildlife Sanctuary, while as they could have used the peripheries for the construction purposes. In the year 2010 the State Cabinet approved the Master Plan and initially approved only eight constructions. Subsequently in the years 2012-2013, 29 more permissions were given for the constructions within the green bowl. More constructions were going on without any proper permission and the system has failed to stop these constructions in Sonamarg.