MANSEHRA: The district administration on Thursday demolished structures and buildings obstructing a stream and a nullah in the Naran area of Kaghan Valley here.

The exercise was carried out alongside the Saiful Muluk Lake tributary, according to assistant director of the Kaghan Development Authority Asad Shahzad.

He told Dawn that a joint team of the district administration, police, and KDA, having shovel machines at their disposal, participated in the anti-encroachment drive in the tourist resort Naran and surrounding areas.

The official said theoperation was launched on the special directives of the provincial government with the support of the district and police administrations.

He said the demolished buildings and structures were built without prior approval from local authorities.

Mr Shahzad said building owners were given notices earlier this year to pull down or remove illegal structures forobstructing the flow of streams and tributaries.

“Theremaining illegal structures will also be removed,” he said.

The official said Kaghan Valley was a popular tourist destination but has been impacted by climate change, especially flash floods, which caused substantial losses to the tourism industry in 2022 and earlier this year.

“We will ensure that no one puts up riverside buildings or structures in Kaghan Valley,” he said.

Meanwhile, 14 people were held for throwing stones at workers of a local dam after the latter were laying a pylon in Paras area of Kaghan Valley.

A policeman was injured in the attack and was shifted to a health centre in Balakot.

The residents of Paras and nearby areas protested as workers of the under-construction Balakot hydropower project were laying a pylon. “The situation is under control now,” said the police in a statement on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2024