Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 26: The residents of nearly 9 villages of Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district today staged a protest against the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) for its alleged bias in issuing the building permissions.
Scores of residents in this regard were seen protesting, seeking the necessary intervention of the higher-ups to put an end to what they called the injustice of the PDA.
“For the last 15 years, we are facing injustice; others from different places come and construct buildings while the locals are not given the permissions for even carrying out the necessary repairs; we just look on while multi-storied buildings are constructed in front of our eyes,” Rayees Ahmad Bhat, a protestor said.
“As we are not able to construct houses and carry out repairs, we are facing space constraints; 5 people are forced to be in one room; nobody is even ready to marry their daughters in our villages,” the residents said.
They alleged that the PDA officials were minting money and were granting permissions to people who are influential and have got money to offer. “But we are poor, we cannot afford to give money to construct our houses and do the necessary minor repairs,” the residents said.
They said that they belong to this place and have not encroached upon any piece of land. “When others can construct huge buildings how are they authorized not to permit us the same; why do we need permissions in the first place; others need it but they are allowed to do whatever they want,” they said.
The residents appealed to the LG to intervene in the matter and ensure that lives are made easy. “The PDA is not listening to us; someone has to because we are suffering,” the residents said.
On the other side, Owais Nazir, Chairman MC, Pahalgam also narrated the same story and said that the PDA was making the residents suffer due to its biased approach under which they treat the influential in one way and the poor in a different way.
“They have set up a toll plaza here and that is the corruption hub because those who grease their palms are allowed to carry the material and those not in a position to do that are made to just run from pillar to post,” he said.
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