ABBOTTABAD, May 1: The city of Abbottabad is fast losing its natural beauty and charm due to unplanned construction, which is also creating problems of drinking water and sanitation, shows a survey.

Little attention is paid to specific building codes by the Abbottabad Development Authority, Tehsil Municipal Administration, district government and the cantonment board and related engineering departments. Only the cantonment board tries to apply the building codes to some extent.

After the non-availability of open space in the city, the people are now moving to the nearby hills.

Two famous hills which were earlier covered with pine trees are now covered with ill-planned houses and no standardised maps and building designs are used.

Almost 80 per cent buildings of government departments, including courts and police offices, were damaged in the October 8 earthquake.

The government has planned to reconstruct the damaged buildings, but due to the lack of space, there has been a little progress towards that end.