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Will Mufti go after land mafia in Pahalgam? -Part 2 3/28/2015 11:39:10 PM Mohammad Hamzah Early Times Report SRINAGAR, Mar 28: Many other influential people including some officials of the Revenue and other departments who were posted in Pahalgam have also constructed commercial huts in the ecologically fragile area. A former Divisional Commission of Kashmir has constructed four huts in the midst of dense forests, where constructions are not permitted. "The officials of the Revenue posted in Pahalgam from time to time have also gone for construction. These include some clerks and peons too," the sources said. A Naib Tehsildar, Abdul Ahad, who was earlier posted in Pahalgam and was later transferred from there after acquiring about five kanals of land in Khelan area, has constructed four spacious huts. His office clerk, a peon, and one more employee of the Revenue department have also constructed one hut each after acquiring one kanal of land each in the same area. An employee of Wildlife Department too has constructed a hut. Another former official, Gulzar Ahmad Hajam, constructed four huts in the same area, barely 10 feet away from the Lidder river. DISCREPANCIES IN THE MASTER PLAN The Master Plan framed to save the environment of this tourist resort has failed to serve any purpose as, sources say, it appears it was only prepared to pave the way for influential people to acquire land and go for illegal constructions. A committee-comprising Mir Naseem, the then Chief Town Planner; Hamid Ahmad Wani, the then Town Planner; and Nazir Ahmad, the then Assistant Town Planner-was constituted in 2004 to prepare the Master Plan for Pahalgam.Sources say the committee resorted to "misrepresentation, manipulations and distortions" to permit construction of hutments and other facilities. While the plan was being formulated, some top bureaucrats acquired land in ecologically fragile areas with the help of the land mafia and managed to designate these fragile areas as "permissible" in the land use map of the Master Plan. "The land across the Sheesh Nag nallah and Mani-Pal nallah in Chanhaji, a virgin area falling in the forest-covered foot hills was declared 'permissible' without getting comprehensive feedback. But ironically the residential areas of Rinzipal and Bradihaji on the other side of nallah have been declared 'non-permissible'," the sources said. "The officials misled the Government by hatching a conspiracy in omitting the proposal of the de-notification of sub-zone A14 from the draft Master Plan made available to general public. Thus the plan was approved in 2006 in the form proposed by the accused, which actually recommended change in land use," the sources told Early Times. 'GOVT DOESN'T WANT TO TOUCH BIGWIGS' The State Vigilance Organisation has already registered a case (FIR. No. 27/2008 P/S VOK) against the accused officers and investigation has been taken up. The SVO officials have reportedly recovered documents relating to the acquisition of land at various places by the accused.Local residents say they raised their voice against the brazen violations many times, but the Government doesn't apparently want to lay its hands on the bigwigs. "Pahalgam is our heavenly abode and we can never think of turning it into hell by disturbing its ecology, but the influential and rich people who intend to do so are being given safe passage while we are not allowed to even construct a small house or shed on our land," said Mohammad Asadullah of Rinzipal village.Bhat says his sons and their families have to content with their four-roomed ancestral house. "One of the largest and oldest villages of Pahalgam, Manzimpora has also been designated as green," said the villagers, adding that they can't even repair their houses or even erect a shed. "See how beautiful this place used to be. Most of the people visiting Pahalgam loved to relax here amid pine trees and enjoy the sound of gushing Lidder and serene beauty," said a member of the PWO, as he produced photographs to prove his point.   Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network     Comment on this Story

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