Mehbooba raises alarm over development projects in J&K
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday expressed concern over the ecological impact of some developmental projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mufti said while the party welcomes infrastructure development, it cannot come at the cost of the environment, scenic beauty and agricultural land.
Mufti, a former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, raised an alarm over three projects — Rajouri-Baramulla highway, ring road from Galander to Ganderbal and the expansion of railway line.
“Our land, forests and resources are in danger. Lakhs of kanal of agricultural land and lakhs of trees in forests are getting affected due to these projects,” the PDP president said.
She said agriculture land in most of the districts in Kashmir Valley is getting affected by these projects. Mufti added that if these projects are pursued recklessly, it “will trigger ecological disasters similar to Joshimath in Uttarakhand.”
Questioning the purpose of Rajouri-Baramulla highwayhighway, she said it will put unnecessary pressure on the environment and public funds. Mufti said this decision reflects “a lack of planning and disregard for the fragile ecology of J&K.”
Mufti also highlighted the consequences of unplanned infrastructure development in the Himalayas. “We have already seen the tragic outcomes of neglecting environmental safeguards in Joshimath,” she said, adding that thousands of trees were felled for infrastructure projects.
“We cannot allow the same mistakes to be repeated in Jammu & Kashmir,” she said.
She also demanded a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before proceeding with the projects. She said these projects would severely impact ecotourism and horticulture, which are vital to the region’s economy.
Mufti added that infrastructure projects must prioritise the interests of the people. “Projects imposed without consultations only serve to alienate people further,” she said.
Mufti also talked about the proposal to construct satellite townships along the Srinagar Ring Road. “This is a land-deficit region, and such plans violate the Srinagar Master Plan and the government’s land-use policy,” Mufti stated.
“Thirty townships are being built for which 1.29 lakh kanal agricultural land is needed. We want to know from Omar, which people are being settled there. What is the impact of these on our land?” she added.
On railway network expansion, Mufti raised concerns over the government’s relentless push for multiple new railway lines in Kashmir. “While improved connectivity is important, the blind expansion of railway infrastructure such as doubling the Baramulla-Banihal section and proposing new lines especially through Shopian and Pahalgam comes at a grave cost to Kashmir’s environment,” Mufti stated.
She appealed to the government to intervene in these projects “to stop the destruction they can cause to the environment”.
