PDA fails to conduct BOCA meetings, people suffer

Residents of South Kashmir’s Pahalgam continue to suffer as Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) is allegedly denying them the mandatory Building Operations and Controlling Authority (BOCA) permissions for repairing and renovating their residential houses.

The Pahalgam Development Authority’s failure to conduct regularly BOCA meetings since last year has left hundreds of families in distress.

A group of Pahalgam residents told Early Times that officers of PDA and other government departments were deliberately making them to suffer.

“Hon’ble High Court allowed PDA to conduct BOCA meetings last year but so far the development authority has only conducted six meetings and cases recommended haven’t been decided yet,” they said.

Agitated locals said that lackadaisical approach of authorities has left them in distress. “First of all we have to fallow a lengthy procedure for these permissions. We need gets NOC’s from even non-existing departments and then our cases aren’t being decided by the committee despite the fact the several teams inspect our houses,” they added.

“As per procedure PDA us supposed to conduct four BOCA meetings in a month and decide the approved cases within weeks time but ironically here PDA isn’t fallowing procedure. The last BOCA meeting was conducted a few months ago and cases recommended by the members haven’t been decided yet by the committee,” Mushtaq Pahalgami, local social activist told ET.

He threatened to launch a massive agitation in case the development authority didn’t adhere the laid down procedure.

“Here we have some officers who make people to suffer unnecessarily and they are compelling local residents to resort to illegal means. These officers don’t understand the gravity of the issue. During last eight years PDA hasn’t issued a single building permission in favor of local resident while as the populations continues increase,” he added.

Mushtaq said that space crush and dilapidated residential houses have now started making adverse impact of local populace. He sought intervention of Jammu and Kashmir Governor and Chief Secretary.

A lower lung official at PDA admitted that the development authority has failed to deliver and some officials showing insensitiveness towards this issue.

“A got myself transferred after i noticed that our seniors weren’t showing any concern and were delaying the process,” he said, however whished not be named.

He said that over 100 applications of locals residents of Pahalgam are lying with PDA and the cases those were recommended haven’t been approved yet.

Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority Dr Nasir Ahmad when contacted told Early Times that authority was going to issue building permissions on fast track basis. “After assuming charge I have contacted NIC (national informatics center). We are making this procedure very easy for applicants,” he said.

Dr Nasir said that after making it online, the applicants will not have to visit any office.