Illegal construction in Pahalgam
Pahalgam: The officials of various departments have been involved in a blame game over the illegal constructions going on in Dahwato Ladi Yanner area of Pahalgam town in South Kashmir.
Pertinently, Pahalgam has been in news recently owing to the unchecked contrauctions that have been going on in the area with various government officials looking the other way.
Locals alleged that the authorities are acting as mute spectator and smell their abetment as the officials are not taking any action against the violators.
Local sources said that four illegal constructions are currently coming up in the Dahwato area and authorities have failed to take any action on ground. These constructions have been going on as some influential people are directly involved in trampling of the laws that disallow construction in the area.
Ironically, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pahalgam Development Authority, Mushtaq Ahmad Simiani said that the area where these illegal constructions are coming does not fall in his jurisdictions.
“The area is technically controlled by some other department therefore we cannot intervene as we have no jurisdiction in that area,” he told ‘Kashmir Vision’.
Locals alleged that the construction has been going on in a buffer zone and even the wildlife department has failed to protect these protected buffer zones in their jurisdictions.
The locals said these forest officials are posted in Pahalgam range from last many years and they have now started to take things for granted.
“It seems they think they are not accountable before anybody,” they alleged.
On contacting wildlife Range Officer Pahalgam, Abdul Rashid, he said that the land where the construction has been reported in not coming under the jurisdiction of the wildlife department.
“It is the revenue department that controls the area,” he said.
He however, admitted that dozens of illegal constructions are coming up in the area but this area does not fall under the forest range and it is in revenue department which has the jurisdiction and authority to act.
When contacted, DDC Anantnag M Younis Malik, said that the concerned SDM has been deputed there, he is inspecting the area and he has been authorized to initiate action against the defaulters.
The DDC assured that illegal construction would be stopped and action would be taken against violators.
KV Correspondent
