Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will investigate claims of land encroachment and ecological threats in Ladakh, following a letter sent to the Acting Chief Justice.
On July 23, a Bench led by Acting Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Rajnesh Oswal registered a public interest litigation (PIL) case and requested responses from various regional authorities, including the Deputy Commissioners of Kargil and Ganderbal and the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir. The next hearing is set for August 28.
The court's action comes after a July 1 letter from Abdul Wahid, a Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), titled "Save Ladakh's Environment, Ecology and Land from Encroachers and Resolve the Boundary Dispute between District Kargil (UT Ladakh) and District Ganderbal (UT J&K)."
Wahid's letter alleged that residents of Ganderbal district were encroaching on Ladakh land, claiming the Border Roads Organization (BRO) had divided snow area land equally, which threatens the region's flora and fauna. The letter also highlighted concerns over unregulated traffic and tourism in Ladakh.
Advocate Rehana Qayoom and Deputy Solicitor General of India TM Shamsi accepted notices on behalf of the authorities of Ladakh and Kargil, while Government Advocate Illyas Nazir Laway accepted notice on behalf of the authorities in Kashmir and Ganderbal. The court has requested that the respondent authorities file their responses by the next hearing date.
