Building permission norms flouted in Pahalgam

The High Court in 2010 imposed a blanket ban on constructions in Pahalgam till framing of new Master Plan following the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Peoples Welfare Pahalgam. In 2012, the government further notified around 10 villages in the vicinities of Pahalgam and brought them under Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA).
Sources however reveal that many influential hoteliers who have got permission for minor repair work from the PDA or Court in certain cases are flouting the directions and going for construction of fresh structures. They further said the PDA was facilitating the dumping of huge construction material.
“One of the influential hoteliers had got permission for a minor repair of a hut but went on to construct a glass house adjacent to the hut with authorities acting as mute spectators,” sources said.
They said the hotelier has been allowed to dump huge construction material including over 500 cement bags besides large quantity of sand, metal and kerb stones and devri stones.
“The hotelier is even using JCB for excavation of the hillock to pave way for the construction,” sources said.
“The hut had only 8 rooms but later the hotelier went on to construct another storey increasing its capacity to 18 rooms despite HC ban in place,” sources said.
They said that the hotel has come up in violation of all Building Permission norms set up by the Building Operation Control Authority (BOCA).
However, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PDA, MY Bhat denies that the hotelier has gone for fresh construction.
“The hotelier was allowed to go for minor repair, construction of STP and landscaping only,” CEO said.
Many other influential people who had sought permission for minor repair work or even those who have no prior permission are raising structures in the vicinities of their hotels and huts in Pahalgam main, Laripora, Rangward, Brangward, Sadaw Padaw, Athnadan, Bradi Haji, Chanhaji and Ganeshbal. A 12-room hut has come up at Athandan. In Chanhaji and Bradhaji, which have been declared ecologically fragile zone by the environmental expert committee formed by the court, several huts are coming up. In Branward and Ganeshbal too huts are being raised. One of the huts has come up in Lidroo forest area which falls under the jurisdiction of PDA.
Residents say that PDA was not monitoring the repair work and violation of building permission norms. “How come those having flouted building permission norms have been allowed to go for huge repair work by PDA,” asked the residents.
“We fail to understand how these influential people manage to ferry huge construction material into Pahalgam and then dump at their hotels and huts,” said the residents.
They alleged that the police in connivance with the authorities was facilitating the entry of huge construction material into Pahalgam while the locals whose houses got damaged due to windstorm, snow or blaze and have proper permission from court struggle to bring construction for repair work.
They said that police men and checking squad at the toll post are in hand in glove with these influential hoteliers and it is they who facilitate the entry of huge quantity of construction material for them.
Sources further say that illegal constructions continue to thrive in the vicinities of Pahalgam downstream Lidder River despite being notified and bought under PDA by the government in 2012.
The areas were notified following the recommendations of the committee formed by the High Court as well as Kashmir University’s Environment Impact Assessment team.
“Illegal constructions have already come up on the banks of Lidder River in Mawoora and Yanner on Khahcharia land, Langanbal, Batkoot on agriculture land, Gujrani Batkoot, Veersaran, Ganeshpora, Jaibal, Aamad Wagad besides many spots in forest and wild life areas,” sources said. They said that despite failing to get No Objection Certificates from tourism department the huts are operational.
“We fail to understand why the check post is not been set up for all the areas which have been notified and now fall under jurisdiction of PDA and why only for Pahalgam and areas up-stream Lidder River,” asked the locals. They said that in absence of proper mechanism for monitoring construction goes unabated.
CEO, PDA, MY Bhat admitted that certain violations have occurred but said he was taking action against the offenders.
“We only allow repair work of residential or commercial structures but of late during floods and election period certain violations did occur and I am on it,” said the CEO.
He said that many of the illegal structures have been demolished while many more will be soon, if they fail to do that on their own.