KASHMIR NEWS TRUST #KNT
It has come to the fore that for the construction of the Gulmarg Gondola Project in Kashmir, the executing agency has not bothered to get ‘No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the forest, wildlife, and other allied departments.
The information will probably remain veiled forever in Kashmir about the number of trees chopped off in picturesque Gulmarg during the execution of the project.
Environmentalists who expressed concern over the callous attitude of authorities have appealed to the government to make sure that environment should not be depleted at the cost of development at least in the future.
Gulmarg Gondola in North Kashmir is the second-longest and highest cable car in the world. It is, however, the highest and longest cable car in Asia.
Social Activist MM Shuja had sought information under the Right to Information Act about the details of NOCs granted to the executive agency by various departments during the construction of the Gulmarg Gandola project.
In its reply, the Cable Car Corporation as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust has stated that the contract for execution of the Gulmarg Gondola Project has been awarded by the Department of Tourism, Government of J&K in the year 1987 in favour of M/S Pomaglaski of France.
The Corporation has further stated that it was in the year 1988 that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir established J&K Cable Car Corporation to take over the running business of Gulmarg Gondola Project. Therefore, there is no record available with Cable Car Corporation with regard to No Objection Certificates. [KNT]
