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| PDA ‘illegally’ outsourced forestland, says Forest dept | | Pahalgam: Loot of green wealth continues | |
Saahil Suhail
Anantnag, April 26: The Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) is at logger head with the Forest department over leasing out of a scenic spot Baisaran in the famous tourist destination.
PDA maintains that the land has been transferred to it, while Forest officials say the transfer of the spot to any other agency is out of question. The latter accuse the former of violating the Forest Conservation Act by outsourcing the land for revenue generation.
DFO Lidder, Himayun Kabir, said that Baisaran is a forestland and no agency has the powers to use it for any other purpose. “How can any agency outsource our land? We will not allow anyone to
generate revenue at the cost of green wealth of Pahalgam,” he said.
He said the PDA was “hell bent upon disturbing the fragile ecology and environment of Pahalgam.” When asked that PDA claims that the scenic spot in question has been transferred to them, the DFO said, “They are misleading media. Who can transfer the land to them.”
The DFO said he has severed a notice to PDA, asking them to refrain from carrying out any activity in the area.
“I visited the spot (on Saturday) along with many officers. We also dismantled some constructed carried out by the PDA,” the DFO said.
He said that in 2011-12, on the directions of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah PDA had deposited Rs 40 lakh with the Forest department for the development of Baisaran. “But the amount was too meager and stands unutilized,” he said.
“PDA was directed to proved assistance of Rs 1 crore for the development of Baisaran. They however deposited only Rs 40 lakh which was not enough for developing the spot,” the DFO said.
But PDA’s Chief Executive Officer, Reyaz Ahmad told Early Times that outsourcing of Baisaran was done legally under prescribed procedure.
“All the state land has been transferred to PDA, so we did nothing illegal by outsourcing Baisaran,” he said, adding that development of
Baisaran will be done under a centrally sponsored project. The CEO also denied having received any notice from the Forest department.
Sources said that PDA has outsourced Baisaran to a ‘favourite’ contractor.
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