Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday asked government and a private company not to carry any act that may directly or indirectly damage wildlife sanctuary in Shopian district of south Kashmir.
We make it clear that in the meanwhile respondents shall not act in any manner which may cause directly or indirectly any type of damage to the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary situated in Shopian Wild Life authority to ensure the same, said a division bench of Justices Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Ali Mohammad Magrey and posted the Public Interest Litigation for further consideration on February 21.
The sanctuary is home to Himalayan Brown Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Musk Deer, Leopard, Tibetan Wolf, Himalayan Palm Civet and around 50 individuals of the critically endangered Pir Panjal Markhor, besides 130 bird species.
The petition alleges that a company entrusted with the laying of Transmission Line through Hirpora Wildlife sanctuary has violated the norms. The company was supposed to lay the power line and erect towers in the sanctuary on the condition that the work should be done manually so as to avoid damage to the flora and fauna of the area but it has used heavy machinery for the purpose.
The PIL has sought immediate steps for the conservation and preservation of Hirpora Sanctuary from illegal and unlawful blasting and heavy machinery.
The PIL seeks an amount of Rs 2.46 crore from the company as levied by the committee constituted for the purpose under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.
The Company has been assigned the project for laying 400KV D/C Samba- Amargarh line, which is supposed to provide power supply in Akhnoor, Rajouri, Poonch and Shopian.
The company was supposed to lay the power line and erect towers in the Wildlife sanctuary on the condition that the work should be done manually so as to avoid damaging flora and fauna of the area.
It had to pay a penalty of Rs 2.47 crores on the estimation done by a committee constituted by Government, but has not paid any fine and is continuing blasting and has erected towers with the help of heavy machines.
The project it is mentioned here is being carried out under the supervision of Ministry of Power, Union of India.
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