The Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Deputy Commissioner of Kullu to shut down 44 hotels, which were illegally operating in Kasol.

The High Court asked the DC to disconnect the electricity and water supply of these hotels in Kasol of Kullu district immediately.

The court noticed that as per the joint inspection report of the Committee constituted by the DC Kullu, out of 60 establishments (hotels) in Kasol area, 44 establishments don’t have permissions from the Tourism Department nor do they have any consent to operate in terms of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The court also noticed that some of these establishments have also encroached on forest land and perhaps raised construction thereupon.

The court directed the DC to act as a nodal officer and coordinate with relevant departments in Kullu district to ensure that all encroachments, so identified are removed and unauthorised structures are demolished.

The court said no establishments at village Kasol be allowed to operate, except in accordance with law.

The court directed the Director General of Police, HP, and the Zonal Director, NCB, Chandigarh to continue with such operations and file fresh status report within a period of four weeks.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma passed these orders on a petition taken up suo-motu by the court as a PIL on issue of drug menace in the state.

The court had expressed concern that drug menace is one of the serious problem in the society and it was alarmed with the sizeable increase in the charas seizures by NCB from the state as per the figures/details furnished by the agency.

The court had earlier directed the Superintendent of Police, Kullu, as well as Zonal Director, Narcotics Control Bureau, Chandigarh, on October 25 to constitute a Joint Task Force to raid all restaurants, hotels and dhabas in and around Kasol and Malana to stop illegal activities.

The force was also directed to visit Malana village and ensure complete eradication of contraband and take action against people indulging in illegal trade of contrabands. The court has listed the matter for 11 January 2018.