J

Srinagar, Sep 1 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has pulled up the state government for non-compliance of its orders regarding ban on the entry use and sale of polythene in the Valley.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Bashir Ahmed Khan and Justice Bashir Ahmed Kirmani, directed the state government to file a status report indicating compliance of its May 18 order.

The directions on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by S R Institute envisaged passing of consequential orders by the government agencies concerned for implementing the ban on polythene.

The court had also directed for convening a meeting of the department heads for evolving and adopting a suitable plan of action and any appropriate mechanism for enforcing the ban.

The bench said the court had already directed the authorities concerned to explore the proposed legislation regarding ban on manufacture, sale and use of polythene in Jammu and Kashmir.

No authority has come forward to inform the court about the status of the legislation or any further proposed draft legislation, which was said to have been put up for consideration by the state Pollution Control Board, the bench observed.

The state through its Chief Secretary was accordingly directed to expedite the consideration of the draft legislation and all functionaries concerned were directed to accord their respective clearance with or without any modification, the court said.

The bench directed Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag along with the SSPs also the Pollution Control Board Chairman, the Chief Executive Officers of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development Authorities, the SHOs and Tehsildars of these areas to submit their status reports showing compliance of court orders and to appear in person on the next date of hearing.

Their status reports should mention the steps taken so far or proposed to be taken to enforce the ban order in their areas of jurisdiction, the bench directed.

UNI AG AK MIR BST1338