Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that massive constructions were being carried out under the guise of "minor repairs" in Gulmarg tourist resort.
"It's terrible to see that under the guise of minor repairs, massive constructions are being carried out in Gulmarg, authorities complicit," Omar, the working president of opposition National Conference wrote on Twitter.
The Jammu and Kashmir High court has passed several orders recently directing the authorities to take substantive action against illegal constructions in the resort area.
Following the court orders last month, several buildings constructed illegally or in violation of the Srinagar Master Plan in and around Dal and Nigeen Lakes have been sealed.
Given the enormity of violations around these endangered water bodies, the High Court had directed the State Vigilance Organisation to probe the assets of officials of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority.
Several shopping malls and complexes, which did not have parking space-a prerequisite under the Master Plan, have also been sealed on the court orders.
However, residents here allege that the concerned authorities are hand-in-glove with the law violators, thus turning the Srinagar city into a "concrete jungle".
Nisar Ahmad, another resident, said a large number of illegal constructions take place under political patronage.
"Houses have been constructed on water channels or canals after filling them up ...There have been cases where public roads have been encroached upon by political workers," he said.
While the officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) refused to comment, they have been issuing advertisements in local dailies calling upon people not to violate the laws.
Expressing shock at Baig's "perverse anti-Kashmir tirade
and stereotypical Muslim bashing" at the meeting, Omar claimed PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who had set the tone for the narrative that aims to vilify and defame the people of Kashmir.
He claimed that PDP was primarily responsible for the Centre's "shocking, hawkish stand" on the situation in Kashmir.
Stressing that PDP was the only political party from the state that was present in the meeting, he said, "It is therefore extremely disappointing that the party chose to ridicule and vilify the people of Kashmir and went to the extent of saying there should be no agitation by political parties against excessive use of force and pellet guns."
He accused the PDP of tacitly supporting the use of excessive force in the Valley.
He claimed PDP was reading from a "political script to suit a jingoistic, condescending narrative that stereotypes Muslims and also distorts the political issue in Kashmir as an alleged manifestation of radicalization and religious indoctrination".
Criticising PDP for claiming that the current situation was a result of systematic religious indoctrination through madrassas, Omar said not a single local youth who joined militant ranks in recent months had a madrassa-based educational background.
"Some of these young boys were toppers in the mainstream educational system while a few of them were meritorious students in professional college programs," Omar said.
He alleged that Baig's suggestion that youths are becoming militants for 'two sets of Kameez Pajamas' was an indication of how his party looked down upon the people, especially the youth of Kashmir.
"While we disagree with their ways and methods and reiterate that violence is unacceptable, we cannot afford to ridicule and insult them and consequently push them further away from the system," he said.
He said such remarks from PDP, first from Mehbooba and then from Baig, were augmenting the anger and frustration in the Valley, he said.
