Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: Residents living around Nigeen Lake in Srinagar today accused the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) of adopting “double standards” by allowing University of Kashmir to carry out new construction near the lake while issuing demolition notices to decades-old residential structures in the area.
Locals alleged that the university is constructing a building at Mirza Bagh on the banks of Nigeen Lake, but LCMA has turned a “blind eye” to it.
“This is clear favouritism. LCMA is serving notices to ordinary residents whose homes have existed for decades while allowing University of Kashmir to build freely in the same green zone,” said a resident. “If it is illegal for locals to construct near the water body, how is it legal for the Varsity?”
Another resident said that the University is not merely violating the law, it is orchestrating a daylight mockery of it. “The institution is actively engaged in a flagrant, illegal construction project on the eastern shore of Nageen Lake,” he said.
“The site, adjacent to university quarters and a mere 50 meters from the water’s edge, places this act in direct and knowing contempt of a specific order from the High Court, which explicitly bans all new construction within a 200-meter radius of the lake fringe,” he added.
“The ongoing work, visible to all, implicates the local authorities in a web of cohesion. While LAWADA publicly terrorizes the poor and needy with demolitions and FIRs, it has orchestrated a deliberate and deafening silence around this brazen violation. This illegal construction cannot proceed without his explicit knowledge and tacit approval, exposing a sinister two-tiered system of justice: one of ruthless enforcement against the vulnerable, and another of collusion with the powerful,” he said.
However, an LCMA official refuted the allegations, saying the university’s work is being carried out with proper authorization. “Whatever is being constructed is within the university’s premises and as per the approved plan. There is no violation of the law,” the official said.
A university official clarified that the ongoing work involves setting up a pre-fabricated fish hatchery intended to help restore fish populations in the lake. “We obtained permission from LCMA before starting work. Their team visited the site, inspected it, and found no violations,” the spokesperson said.
The official added that the hatchery-measuring around 20 to 30 feet-is being established close to the water body to breed carps and other fish species. “The hatchery will help produce 5-10 lakh fish eggs per season to replenish fish stocks and support local fish farmers,” he said.
The official further claimed that while about 300 meters of the water body falls under its jurisdiction, encroachments by houseboat owners have obstructed access and hampered plans for water sports development at the site.
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