Illegal structure along Kunhar River demolished

MANSEHRA: The district administration on Saturday launched an anti-encroachment drive along the Kunhar River in Balakot tehsil, demolishing dozens of illegal structures.

“This operation has been initiated on the directives of the Peshawar High Court and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary to preserve the river’s ecology and protect human lives in case of flooding,” Assistant Commissioner, Balakot, Nadir Khan, told reporters on Saturday.

Led by the assistant commissioner, a team comprising officials from various departments and equipped with heavy machinery began demolishing illegally constructed hotels, houses and other structures along the Kunhar River in Kaghan valley.

“This is the first phase of the operation. The operation will be launched in other areas of Balakot tehsil in the second phase. The Kunhar River, which originates from Babusar Top and flows downstream to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, must remain unobstructed,” he added.

He said that the operation was carried out under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rivers Protection Ordinance, 2002, and that all encroachments within a 200-foot radius of the river were being removed.

“Structures that hamper the natural flow of the river, many of which were built by land grabbers, are being demolished,” he said, adding that the deputy commissioner of Mansehra was overseeing the operation.”

The assistant commissioner also urged encroachers to voluntarily remove illegal constructions along the riverbank or face action.

“We will not allow anyone to endanger lives or damage the environment by altering the natural flow of the Kunhar River, which is fed by glacial meltwater from the Kaghan valley,” he added.

He lamented that the natural beauty and ecological balance of the region, including the popular tourist destination of Kaghan valley, had been marred by unregulated and abrupt construction.