KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The Lower House Tuesday witnessed commotion over the issue of Master Plan for Srinagar city as the legislators cutting across party lines cornered the government for no including them in drafting the plan.
PDP legislators Altaf Bukhari, Muhammad Ashraf Mir, Javaid Mir and NC legislators Ali Muhammad Sagar and Shameema Firdous criticised the government and demanded that the legislators should be involved in drafting the Master Plan.
The issue was raised by the MLA Sonawar, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, had asked a written question on Srinagar Master Plan.
Mir confronted minister of state for Urban development, Asiya Naqash when she said that highly qualified officials were framing the master plan for the Srinagar city.
“Mid-term revision of the Master Plan for Srinagar 2035 is being prepared by Srinagar Development Authority in consultation with office of the chief town planner. The draft of the revised Master Plan will be completed by ending July 2016,” Naqash said.
However, Mir interrupted her and said the Master Plan is the life line of the Srinagar city. “It’s drafting needs consultations and suggestions from MLAs. But have you consulted the MLAs concerned before drafting the plan,” Mir said while standing up from his seat.
Mir demanded that a committee should be framed on the Master Plan.
Intervening, LA Speaker Kavindar Gupta said: “Being the elected members, we should be involved in the process. But we don’t know anything about the drafting of the plan.”
However, when Naqash could not convince the legislator, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who is also HUDD minister, intervened.
“We are not hiding anything. We had invited experts in a seminar where they gave their suggestions how to frame the Master Plan for the Srinagar city,” Singh said. “We will involve elected legislators for this purpose.”
However, Mir said that all stakeholders should be involved in the exercise.
Meanwhile, MLA Amira Kadal Altaf Bukhari too demanded inclusion of elected legislator into the exercise.
NC legislator from Khanyar, Ali Mohammad Sagar, also said that MLAs and the MLCs are not consulted in drafting of Master Plan.
PDP MLA from Chadoora, Javid Mustafa Mir joined Mir and Bukhari. “We are the elected legislators and government doesn’t need suggestions from MLCs. Even the chief town planner never consulted me about the master plan of my constituency,” he said. “Buildings have been raised in my constituency but I don’t know who has given them the permissions.”
“Government should tell me what will be benefits of the master for the people of my constituency otherwise I won’t allow officials to visit there.”
MLA Habba Kadal Shameema Firdous said the government had not consulted the trade bodies and the civil society for the Srinagar Master Plan.
The Master Plan for Srinagar is being put in public in July and will be valid up to 2035, after which it will be reviewed. (KNS)
