HC orders closure of 55 hotels in Dharamsala

Vijay Arora

Shimla, December 15

The High Court has ordered the Dharamsala administration to shut down 55 hotels and establishments running illegally in the city, McLeodganj and Nadi.

It also directed the authorities to ensure that electricity, water supply to such hotels/establishments was disconnected immediately.

The court passed the directions after perusing a report filed by the Regional Officer, Pollution Control Board (PCB), highlighting that a team had inspected 88 hotels of the area and maximum were running without requisite sanction from the authorities concerned.

It was further informed to the court that owners neither had permission from the Tourism Department nor did they have any consent to operate in terms of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed the order on a public interest litigation petition dealing with the issue of degradation of environment in Dharamsala.

In its earlier order, the court had directed the Regional Officer, PCB, to inspect the hotels of this area and file his report before the court.

In compliance to this, the Regional Officer has filed the report mentioning the details of the hotels which are being run without sanction.