SRINAGAR
Umar Khurshid
With not many tourists and officials around, some people in Moovera village are brazenly violating the High Court orders. There are various constructions going on in the belt, reports reaching here said.
Locals alleged that people with political connections and financial back-up face no problem to first own the illegal lands and then construct structures
Without identifying any of the “influential”, they alleged that violators have also completed the pending structural works on the existing structures wherein construction work had been stopped by authorities earlier.
“The authorities are deliberately turning a blind eye to these illegal constructions,” a resident alleged. “Since 2007, as many as 620 kanal’s of land has changed hands but the government rules are for us not for rich people.”
People having political support are constructing hotels in the woods without any hindrances, the residents said. “They are getting protection by officials by not intervening and we all are suffering,” they alleged.
Over the years, Mavoora has witnessed huge new constructions, mostly hotels and parks. This is adding to the swage load to the Lidder river on which they operate.
Tehsildar Sellar Pahalgam A G Bhat, however, said no illegal construction is taking place in the area. “Locals have every right to fight back if they think so and if they want the full details they can file an RTI for the whole details,” he said, insisting that the residents own their lands.
Chief Executive Officer Pahalgam Developmental Authority Mushtaq Ahmed Simnani said since PDA Pahalgam in May 2013 has received the charge of the area there were no illegal buildings construct, “we have sealed 27 constructions so far.”
“We have operated a particular team to investigate such matters, a strict action will be taken if such case is found,” he added.
