Avinash Azad
MLA Tanvir Sadiq asked the government whether it is a fact that existing houseboats in Dal and Nigeen lakes have become uninhabitable due to the imposition of prohibitions on their repair, renovation, or reconstruction.
In response, the government clarified that there is no prohibition on the repair or renovation of registered houseboats in Dal and Nigeen lakes. Permission for such repairs and renovations is granted by a High-Level Committee constituted by the government, in compliance with the High Court orders in PIL 159/2002 (Syed Tahir Iqbal Geelani v/s State and others), after following the due procedure. The High Court has declared the lakes ‘custodia legis,’ meaning their oversight falls under legal protection. All registrations and permissions for the operation of tourist units in these lakes are monitored by the High Court. Recently, the High-Level Committee approved 35 cases for the repair and renovation of houseboats. Further, MLA Tanvir Sadiq inquired whether the government had notified exorbitant fees for the renewal of Shikara licenses and whether it intended to rationalize the fee structure to promote tourism and support the local community. The government responded that the revised renewal fees for Shikara licenses have not yet been notified by the J&K government. As per SRO 198, dated June 8, 2012, the current renewal fee for a Shikara license remains Rs 50.
