AJAY GAUTAM Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This public interest litigation was filed by the petitioner, who claims to be a religious teacher. The petition was for protection and rights of the pilgrims, who come for "Char Dham Yatra" in Uttarakhand. Allied with the said issue was another issue raised by the petitioner, which was that the last rites of the pilgrims who died in the "Kedar Valley" in 2013 floods, have not been performed properly and that too be done as well.

(2.) The Division Bench of this Court taking cognizance of the matter finally disposed of the Public Interest Litigation with certain directions to the State Government, which run from Directions "A" to "Q". These directions were in the nature of mandamus to the State Government such as for constitution of Five Special Investigation Teams from the officers of National Disaster Relief Force, etc. to find out the dead bodies and perform the last rites of persons, who died in the tragedy, the direction to the State Government to prepare a development/master plan of "Char Dham Yatra", etc., was also given, amongst other directions.

(3.) According to the State Government, they have complied with the most of the directions, but the directions contained in Direction "J" and "N" were the directions which could not be complied with and which were not possible to comply with.