The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has ordered authorities to stop all fuel-powered motorboats, including motorised shikaras and jet skis, from operating on Dal Lake until further orders, bringing around 166 motorboats to a halt. The court said solar-powered and electric boats should be explored as alternatives that can protect the lake while allowing tourism to continue.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Rajesh Sekhri directed the Lake Conservation and Management Authority, the tourism department and the police to enforce the order. The court said any fuel-powered motorboat found operating on the lake would amount to contempt of court and asked officers to take a strict view of violations.
The restriction does not apply to boats used by the administration and other authorities for emergency services, law and order, disaster management and safety. The exemption followed a submission by Additional Advocate General Mohsin Qadri, who represented the government and told the court that official boats would be required for rescue and emergency operations.
The bench said lake systems had become a growing concern and that activities causing pollution needed to be excluded. It also stressed that any policy for Dal Lake would have to balance tourism, pollution control and uniformity among operators. The court directed the government to submit a comprehensive policy on motorised boats after consulting experts.
The order came during a petition filed by operators seeking renewal of their licences to run motorboats on Dal Lake. The petitioners alleged that the transport department had not acted on their representation, leaving people dependent on the motorboat industry uncertain about their livelihoods. Their lawyers, BA Bashir and Falak Bashir, also argued that the absence of publicly available licensing criteria raised concerns about transparency and the fair treatment of operators.
The petitioners had asked the court to consider licensing issues while determining the number of boats, including jet skis, and addressing pollution concerns. The government, however, submitted that pollution in Dal Lake was an issue it intended to address directly while maintaining the lake’s sanctity and supporting tourism.
The court specifically directed the government to examine whether complete motorisation could be replaced with solarised electric engines. It said solar boats and electric boats could provide a way to balance tourism activity with the long-term sustenance of the lake. The government is now required to prepare and place before the court a policy covering motorised boats, pollution reduction, licensing and the future use of cleaner propulsion systems.
