Officials ‘facilitate’ construction of hut in Aru Wildlife zone

In brazen violation of norms, the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) here is facilitating construction of a hut by an influential person in Aru wildlife zone.
The Supreme Court ruling of 2005 clearly prohibits any sort of construction in the wildlife sanctuaries.
“A hut is now coming up near the fisheries hut right on the banks of Lidder river,” an official said.
He said that the influential person who has acquired the land in the wildlife zone has already raised a muddy structure in connivance with PDA officials.
“The motive is to make it look like a Gujar Kotha and then silently go for full fledged construction,” said an official.
Aru also falls within the ambit of PDA – where any sort of construction is banned since 2010 following the directions of Court.
“How can they allow a commercial structure to be raised in a wildlife zone, where the locals residing within the revenue village find it difficult to get permission for repairing their houses?” an official asked.
The official said that hundreds of Kanals of land has already been encroached by many influential people with the tacit support of wildlife ,PDA and revenue officials.
A top wildlife official on the condition of anonymity told Kashmir POST, “There are as many as 600 families from the Gujjar and shepherd community living since ages in the wildlife protected sanctuaries of Aru and Overa, the total area of which is 426 Square Kilometers and cannot be vacated till there is some other alternative for their relocation.”
Furthermore, he said that as per the directions of the supreme court and the state Wildlife Protection Act this tribal community can neither sell nor lease out the land, provided to them for shelter purposes. “Even if the government intends to construct a road there it has to seek the consent from National Wildlife Advisory Board,” he added.
But, he said, these influential people acquire these ‘Gujjar Kothas’ and then construct huts and hotels there.
He also blamed Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) for supporting some influential people to go for construction in the wildlife zone.
Regional Wildlife Warden, Chatra Bunji Tehra, refused to comment on the issue.
“I am busy right now. Call me some other time,” he told.