Illegal earth-filling of wetland, agriculture land rampant in Pampore

PAMPORE — Illegal earth-filling of wetland and agriculture land is going on unabated in south Kashmir’s Pampore area from last two months but the administration is not taking any action as locals allege their connivance in the illegal action.

Local sources informed Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that wetland and agricultural land (Abi-Awal) in Yech Nambal, Bagender and Meej area in Pampore tehsil is being earth-filled during night hours by the land mafia from last two months.

They said that this illegal action is being done during night time between 10 PM and 4 AM as dozens of tippers ferry the earth material from Wuyan Karewas.

Sources further said that the tippers ferry the earth-filling from Wuyan via Balhama and Kunibal routes to the wetland and agriculture land.

Locals said that this illegal ferrying has been going on for the last two months but the Tehsil administration is not taking any action.

“The Tehsil administration, mining officials seem in nexus with the land mafia who are filling wetland and agriculture land. The earth-filling is done by the mafia to make plots and sell them at higher rates,” locals alleged.

They said that in the past, the nexus between district authorities led to destruction of precious Saffron land as residential colonies were raised on the land which was a goldmine for farmers. “Same destruction is being done to the wetland and agriculture land in the area while authorities from district to tehsil administration are watching and their connivance cannot be ruled out,” they said.

Blaming the Mining Department for destruction of Karewas and Saffron land, the locals said that the officials of the department resort to selective action in stopping illegal mining. “Mining officials take selective action in those areas where their palms are not greased. In areas like these, they are hand in glove with land sharks and illegal miners,” they said.

Concerned locals appealed to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to visit the area and assess the situation before taking action against the Tehsil administration of Pampore.