National Conference patron and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has moved the state high court for intervention so that he is allowed to effect repairs and spruce up his father's mausoleum on the banks of the world famous Dal Lake.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, founder of the National Conference and father of Dr Farooq Abdullah, died in Srinagar on September 8, 1982. He was buried on the shores of the picturesque Dal lake in the Chinar studded Naseem Bagh area of the summer capital and in the neighborhood of the most revered shrine of Hazratbal, housing the Holy Hair Relic of Prophet Mohammad.
The late Sheikh was given a historic burial with over one million joining the funeral procession.
The petition moved by his son, which came up for hearing before the high court on Friday, said the party founder had purchased a piece of land in the Naseem Bagh area and was later buried there in accordance with his will.
The mausoleum of Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah is situated right on the bank of the lake.
Dr Farooq said his requests for carrying out repairs at the platform situated near the grave of his father had been turned down by the Lakes and Waterways Authority.
The LAWDA has imposed a blanket ban on all concrete structures in and around the water body to protect it from further degradation as the high court in Srinagar had passed strictures against it for negligence in protecting and preserving the Dal Lake.
In his petition, the former chief minister pleaded that his request for repairs at the mausoleum be allowed, de-linking the repair cause from the hazards posed by concrete structures to the lake.
The blanket ban on any on-shore construction has been imposed for protecting and preserving the water body in the heart of Srinagar.
From over 75 square kms in 1200 AD, the lake shrunk to 48 kms in 1947 and now stands at 11.5 square kms.
The Dal lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia.
The mausoleum witnessed a great swing in its standing after the erruption of militancy in 1990 when it came to be placed under heavy guard following threats of it being attacked.
