Baramulla, Sep 28 (KNO): Lack of No Objection Certificate (NOC) by roads and buildings department has put macadamisation work on halt in Rajpora village in Sopore.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), villagers said they are facing multiple hardships in absence of paved roads. The six kilometer Kehnusa-Rajpora stretch would connect the village with the district.
They said the forest department has halted the R&B department from carrying out work in absence of NOC.
But North Kashmir Forest Conservator, Irfan Rasool told KNO that his department is nowhere at fault.
"The R&B department was asked to get NOC from the department which they failed. This is the only reason we stopped their work,” he added.
According to him, they will allow the roads department to proceed ahead once they submit the document. "Let R&B department resolve the issue to avoid any further inconvenience to the people,” added the forest official.
Initially, locals said the forest department was nowhere when the road was being constructed in 2008. But they showed their presence only when the Roads and Buildings department was about to complete the road, they said.
"Only half a kilometer of the road has been left unfinished because of the forest department's intervention,” said a local Mohammed Ramzan.
On the other hand, Executive Engineer Roads and Buildings Department, Bandipora division, Asadullah told KNO that they have never been asked by the forest department or they never intervened before.
He said the issue came up when they started macadamization.
“If we had been told about the NOC before starting the work, we should have provided them the same. But they stopped the work midway. We submitted the NOC on the official portal some 15 days ago but we are yet to get their nod,” he added—(KNO)