Govt’s response to Illegal constructions in Pahalgam inadequate: PDP

Srinagar, Mar 9: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the government's response to the rising illegal constructions in Pahalgam, calling it completely inadequate. "Jammu and Kashmir’s fragile ecosystem is on the brink, with Pahalgam – the soul of our valley – being ravaged by unchecked construction.

Massive hotels and buildings are destroying it in the name of progress. With worsening climate change and droughts, this relentless development will obliterate our glaciers and water bodies. The government’s response? Completely inadequate," PDP leader Waheed ur Rehman Parra wrote on X. Parra had raised a question in the ongoing assembly session regarding the illegal and unauthorized constructions in Pahalgam over the past two years. In response, the government said that the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) had issued notices against 269 deviations from the permissions granted by the Building Operation Control Authority (BOCA).

However, the government clarified that the majority of these deviations pertain to PMAY and residential houses of locals, which fall under the jurisdiction of the relevant authority. "PDA is the nodal agency responsible for monitoring deviations, illegal, and unauthorized constructions. If any such structures are raised within the notified areas, it undertakes demolition drives wherever necessary," the government’s reply said.

Earlier this year, PDA had raised serious concerns over rampant illegal constructions in the eco-sensitive zones of Pahalgam. In a letter to the Union Territory government, PDA sought immediate intervention to curb these violations, warning that they pose a severe threat to the region’s fragile ecology.

It  said that nearly 300 illegal structures, including large hotels, guest houses, and huts, have sprung up within the development authority's jurisdiction. Greater Kashmir was the first to carry the story. However, controversy erupted when PDA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Masrat Hashim, who had flagged the issue, was abruptly transferred barely a month after his appointment. He was reassigned as Deputy Labour Commissioner (Central), sparking accusations of political interference and corruption. The PDP strongly criticised the government for his sudden removal. A few years ago, the High Court had directed the administration to halt illegal constructions in Anantnag district while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) aimed at preserving Pahalgam and its surroundings. However, opposition leaders and civil society groups argue that such orders are being ignored, allowing unchecked violations to continue.