SRINAGAR — Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti on Sunday alleged that a mafia patronised by local lawmakers is building illegal hotels in the ecologically fragile Pahalgam.
She said the construction on flood channels and forest land is ill-thought and detrimental to the delicate region.
“Haven’t seen Pahalgam in such a mess before. Please respect Kashmir’s pristine environment,” Mufti said in a post on X.
Her comments came in the wake of Saturday’s flash flood in Pahalgam, where several hotels and houses were inundated.
Mufti said that the J-K government recently held a sustainable tourism conference in SKICC, but despite the initiative,MLAs are facilitating “mindless” construction of hotels in their constituencies.
“This mafia needs to be uprooted,” she said.
Mufti also accused the ruling National Conference of “doublespeak” on the issue and alleged that the party’s disregard for the environment will have disastrous long-term implications on the region’s fragile ecology.
On Saturday, the flash flood, caused by a cloudburst, led to intense rainfall in the forest areas of Awoora and Dehwathu in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The overflow inundated at least half a dozen hotels, prompting relocation of tourists. — (PTI)