'Eco-Sensitive Dachigam Buffer Zone Ravaged by Land Mafia'

Hundreds of kanals of State and Forest land in Syedpora Bala, Harwan, and Khimber—falling within the eco-sensitive Dachigam National Park buffer zone have allegedly been illegally encroached upon and sold by a powerful land mafia operating with the suspected collusion of Revenue Department officials.

- Agencies

This region, classified as a Green Belt under the Srinagar Master Plan and falling under the jurisdiction of the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), has witnessed rampant environmental destruction. Locals report that heavy machinery, including JCBs, is being used during night hours for illegal soil and rock extraction, flouting multiple environmental protection laws.