SRINAGAR: The government has removed Masarat Hashim as Chief Executive Officer of the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA), just weeks after he initiated action against illegal constructions in the popular tourist destination. Hashim was recently posted as Deputy Labour Commissioner (Central), barely a month after getting the PDA assignment.
Hashim’s removal came shortly after he issued notices to approximately 300 individuals accused of constructing hotels, lodges, and houses without proper permission, many of them in violation of environmental regulations. Among the notices was one issued on January 16, 2025, to a violator who had allegedly constructed an unauthorised building with a plinth area of 1,596 square feet and a height of 32 feet. The notice warned of possible sealing or demolition if the recipient failed to respond within 48 hours, reports appearing in the media said.
This is not the first time a PDA chief has been removed after acting against illegal construction. In 2023, Syed Sajad Qadri, a former CEO of PDA, was transferred to Ladakh after highlighting violations at an under-construction hotel in Pahalgam.
The High Court had earlier directed the administration to halt illegal constructions in Anantnag district while hearing a Public Interest Litigation aimed at preserving Pahalgam and its surrounding areas. An official suggested that Hashim’s transfer was influenced by the hotelier lobby and certain politicians.
