Early Times Report
Srinagar, Mar 26: The State High Court today granted Central and State Governments more time to file response on a petition against setting up of 632 petrol outlets in Jammu and Kashmir.
A Division Bench of Justices Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Tashi Rabstan however made it clear that the pendency of the plea should not be a hurdle in issuing allotment by the government to the new petrol pump owners.
The court has already issued notice to Ministry of Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Divisional Manager IOC Jammu, Territorial Manager BPCL Jammu, Commissioner Secretary Revenue Department, Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Doda, Ganderbal, Jammu, Kargil, Kuthua, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Kupwara, Leh, Poonch, Pulwama, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Srinagar, Shopian and Udhampur for filing of response to the PIL raised objections with regard to setting up of 632 outlets in the state.
The petitioner-J&K Peoples welfare Organisation through its chairman Muzaffar Ahmad Khan submitted that central government has decided to set up new 65000 petrol outlets in the country out of which 632 are for Jammu and Kashmir. The petitioner said that Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum have issued advertisement notices on November 25 last year but have not made any survey before taking the decision.
"The decision is against the interest of state, people at large and environment, land use, fruit industry, horticulture and agriculture industry of the state and grown more food policy, air pollution, water pollution etc.
The petitioner said that the organisation filed a representation to the Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum but no decision has been taken so far. |
