34 structures demolished at Pahalgam, 15 offenders booked

Anantnag, Nov 14: In last two years, Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) has demolished at least Thirty Four (34) structures that were raised illegally and has booked 23 offenders.

Details available with Early Times suggest that since August 2016, the enforcement wing of the Pahalgam Development Authority has so far demolished 34 structures in and around Pahalgam that were raised or constructed without seeking permission from PDA.

Fifteen (15) offenders were also booked and cases against them stand registered. An officer at PDA said that they have constituted multiple teams at sector level to keep an eye on violations. “Eighteen villages fall in the jurisdiction of PDA. These villages have been divided into sectors and each sector is headed by Sector Level worker, who works on gross root level and gives information about any kind of violations,” he said.

He said that whole jurisdiction has been divided into two divisions and each division is headed by Khilafwarzi Inspector. Both the teams are monitored by the Engineering wing of PDA, he said.

After the restoration of BOCA, has started issuing constructions permissions to inhabitants of Pahalgam.

So far, he said, PDA has issued permissions through BOCA to eighteen applicants and all of them are locals. “Out of 28 applications, placed before BOCA, 18 were approved and they were allowed to start constructions works as per the norms and laid down procedure,” he said.

Chief Execative Officer Pahalgam Development Authority, Mushtaq Ahmad Simnani told ET that PDA hasn’t itself raised any construction in past two years neither has allowed any other department to do same.  He said that all development works and projects are being taken-up after consulting the revised Pahalgam master-plan

“Master-plan is guiding book for us. We will not allow anyone to violate the same,” he added.

He said that authority has also retrieved 88 Kanals of encroached land and booked land grabbers.

“Our actions have agitated those parties having vested interests. They are doing everything to defame PDA but local residents are best judges and they continue to appreciate our efforts,” he said.

Simnani said that PDA in past has launched number of plantation drives and will continue to do so for the preservation of ecology and environment.

He requested concerned citizens to directly approach PDA if they notice any kind of violation taking place in and around Pahalgam so that action against the violators is initiated.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had imposed blanket ban on constructions in Pahalgam till framing of new Master Plan, following the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Peoples Welfare Pahalgam.