SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has warned that allowing commercial high-rise construction on orchards and agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir could threaten food security, damage the environment and put lives at risk.
In a post on X, Mehbooba questioned the implications of opening agricultural land to commercial development, sharing a post by PDP MLA Waheed Para criticising the government’s Ease of Doing Business framework.
She cited concerns raised by experts over seismic hazards and soil liquefaction, warning that construction-related changes could have serious consequences for the region.
“This is not development. It is a dangerous betrayal of our land, our food security and our people’s lives,” she wrote.
Mehbooba also questioned who would be held accountable if the changes to land-use and construction regulations led to a disaster.
Her remarks followed Para’s criticism of the new Ease of Doing Business framework, under which he argued that provisions easing construction approvals and allowing commercial activities in residential areas could undermine regulatory oversight and urban planning.
Para also cautioned that construction affecting drainage channels, wetlands and floodplains could heighten Kashmir’s vulnerability to flooding. He referred to the devastating floods of 2014 while raising concerns about the potential consequences of weakening environmental safeguards.
The objections come amid a wider debate over the implications of the government’s regulatory changes for land use, building permissions and environmental protection in Jammu and Kashmir.
