After the last militant encounter in Lal Chowk, the Government declared that this historical place would be beautified. The way the beautification has started surrounded by a number of controversies, it appears the government has many other considerations than the simple “Beautification”. Firstly, the size of the open spaces in this place which has a reputation like the Red Square of Moscow and the recent Tinnamen Square, is proposed to be reduced as alleged by some, probably to prevent large gatherings of protestors? Second controversy is about the old Palladium Cinema which was gutted during the peak of militancy and now serves as shelter for the paramilitary forces. One would have expected the entire area to be cleared and more open spaces being provided to really beautify the area. On the contrary some deals are reported to be going on for setting up of a multi-storey complex. This obsession of the various developmental authorities to set up complex after complex is like a disease spreading fast all over Kashmir and especially in Srinagar including in its traditional residential areas. The main culprit for defiling Srinagar has been the organisation called the Srinagar Development Authority constituted to oversee the planned development of the city. They are supposed to be the custodians of the Srinagar Master Plan. The Srinagar Master Plan was prepared by the Jammu & Kashmir Town Planning Organisation in 1971 after putting in lot of efforts. In fact, they had also received inputs from Joseph Allen Stein, a town planner of International repute who had been engaged by the Government for preparing the Master Plan of Dal Lake and a number of Tourist Resorts. After the Master Plan was approved by the Government, it became a legal document which has the force and the sanctity of law. The Town Planning Organisation also prepared various building bye laws, and all other detailed construction norms. SDA had the role of not only monitoring the implementation of the Master Plan but to ensure adherence to various stipulations concerning land use, building bye laws prescribing height, type, lay back etc for all constructions both residential and commercial. The first and foremost stipulation is about the land use. It has been clearly laid out as to which areas are residential and which areas are commercial. The basic land use cannot be changed at all. It is not legally possible to have commercial buildings in areas marked in the Master Plan as residential areas. However, this stipulation has been mercilessly breached everywhere under the very nose of the officers of the authority. The power to change land use rests only with the state cabinet. While as there has been extensive violation of this norm for shopping complexes, some non-resident Kashmiri doctors have been knocking at every door of the government for last three years to get permission for a super speciality hospital and the same is being denied to them!

It is often stated that the building permissions are issued by the Municipal Corporation (Municipal Committee of earlier times). However, SDA is very much part of the Building Permission Committee and their prior clearance is a mandatory requirement as regards the land use in the Master Plan. No doubt, the Municipal Corporation is epitome of corruption right from top to bottom but the SDA is no less notorious in this regard. The worst is the politicisation of all these organisations. Political interference and corruption have turned these organisations into instruments for destroying and defiling the historic city of Srinagar. Primarily, the responsibility is of the politicians. Honesty like water flows from a higher level to lower level. During the time of late G.M.Sadiq, some of his relatives tried to obtain permission for constructing a hotel on the Boulevard. When the Chief Minister came to know about this, he virtually ordered the arrest of his own son! That is the political will which makes all the difference. These days, the reverse is happening. Not only the concerned officers and officials close their eyes but even the top most political authority very conveniently follows the three monkeys with closed eyes, ears, and mouth! Any violation of the norms of the Master Plan is not a day’s affair. The complexes already constructed or under construction have taken months and in some cases years to complete. All these violations taking place in broad daylight become invisible to the enforcing authorities against a stipulated “Price” or political influence. The Krala Sangri is a stark example of these violations. Top bureaucrats have purchased land for construction of houses and one of the bureaucrats who tried to raise the issue has been shown the door! We are masters in framing laws and regulations. Some of the best legislations are on the statute books. Unfortunately, leave aside implementation, we on the contrary show the loopholes and provide means to violators for a consideration. One fails to understand why Kashmiris have become so greedy, materialistic, and callous in regard to their own living environment? The main reason is that the entire administrative edifice built since 1947 is on the basic premise of corruption. Both material and moral corruption. Honest and upright people have no place in it.

Technically, one of the main reasons for these violations is the deviation of enforcing authorities from their primary roles of monitoring and enforcement. SDA is supposed to act as the custodian of the Master Plan but on the contrary, the Authority is busy in constructing shopping complexes of its own which should have been normally left to the private sector. Similarly, the Municipal Corporation instead of Keeping Srinagar neat and clean, is indulging in mushroom construction of shopping complexes irrespective of the location. They have virtually choked the lungs of the city! Government has failed to assist the Corporation in taking over the role of the Public health Guardian of the City. The hordes of rabid dogs, numerous open dumps of garbage, dozens of manholes without covers, open drains and what not. Still they are busy in constructing shops, rows upon rows at the cost of their primary duty. No doubt, the city has abnormally outgrown the capability of the original committee supposed to look after a couple of hundred thousand inhabitants, yet they have not gone on the right track by motivating the rulers to enhance their set up for the increased population and requisite resources. Mushroom construction of shops and complexes at the cost of the green lungs of the city is not the right way of generating resources. Unless the two organisation change their way of working and revert back to their primary role, the city of Srinagar is doomed! Till such a thing happens, the citizens may have to take measures on their own in safe guarding the sanctity of their residential areas and preventing further defilement of the city by enforcing the land use and other norms, if necessary through Public Interest Litigation. Let our legal luminaries come forward to do the same!