Anonymous locals allege illegal reconstructions driven by money; urge authorities to act strictly
By: Hadi Hidayat / The Newscast
Ganderbal: Amid social media claims and circulating reports alleging that several residential houses were demolished during a recent anti-encroachment drive, a ground-level assessment by The Newscast reveals that these claims are incorrect. Local information confirms that no residential house belonging to any local resident was demolished during the operation.
According to observations and community feedback, the structures removed were illegal commercial establishments. These establishments had been demolished in past years as well but were reportedly reconstructed in violation of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court’s standing directions, which clearly prohibit any kind of construction within 100 meters of Nallah Sindh.
Local sources said that despite repeated demolitions in previous drives, certain individuals had rebuilt these structures illegally, ignoring environmental and legal restrictions.
The incident has sparked discussions among residents who questioned what they described as selective enforcement of anti-encroachment measures. Many pointed out that numerous structures continue to exist along Nallah Sindh and demanded clarity on why only certain locations were targeted this time.
Residents also raised several concerns regarding the timing and monitoring of such activities, asking:
Why were these illegal constructions not stopped during their early stages?
Why were they allowed to reach completion before action was taken?
Why is no accountability being fixed on the revenue, irrigation, flood control and other field officials responsible for monitoring encroachments?
Sources within the administration suggest that higher authorities are now taking strict cognizance of violations wherever they surface. However, concerns remain among locals that some field officials acted only after receiving explicit instructions from senior officers.
The district administration is reportedly intensifying efforts to protect water bodies and ensure adherence to High Court guidelines, with anti-encroachment drives underway across multiple locations.
As of now, no official statement has been issued regarding the recent action. However, local findings reaffirm that only illegally raised commercial structures were removed and no residential house was demolished.
Speaking anonymously to The Newscast, several locals alleged that some individuals claiming their “own structures” were demolished are, in reality, people who take “huge amounts of money” from actual owners to construct illegal commercial structures along Nallah Sindh. They urged authorities to identify such persons and take strict action against them, stating that these individuals fuel illegal construction activities particularly in Doctors Colony Prang and various areas between Kangan and Gagangir.
Despite their concerns, locals praised the Ganderbal Administration for the ongoing drives and said such actions must continue to protect natural resources and enforce the law.