MANSEHRA: In an effort to mitigate the risk of flash floods and restore the natural flow of watercourses, the district administration of Mansehra has initiated an extensive anti-encroachment drive targeting hotels, shops, and other structures built along the Kunhar River and streams in Kaghan and Manor valleys.
Bilal Shahid Rao, the Deputy Commissioner, announced the operation during a visit to the Mahandri area on Sunday, stating, “We have launched this operation to demolish buildings and structures obstructing the Kunhar River and streams, as these constructions have been responsible for triggering flash floods in Kaghan and Manor valleys.”
Equipped with shovels and excavators and accompanied by a substantial police force, multiple teams were deployed to dismantle hotels, shops, and buildings encroaching upon the waterways along the Kunhar River in Kaghan and Manor valleys.
The operation commenced in the Mahandri area, located on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
Shops and hotels obstructing the watercourse were methodically trimmed and demolished using heavy machinery.
Officials have cited the River Protection (Amended) Act of 2014 as the legal framework for the operation.
The primary objective is to remove obstacles that have constricted the watercourses, decreasing their width by up to 200 feet on both sides.
“We have initiated this operation at four key points in both valleys and once completed, we expect tourism to flourish here,” stated the Deputy Commissioner.
The operation involves personnel from the police, Kaghan Development Authority, Tehsil Municipal Administration of Balakot, National Highway Authority, and the district administration.
The initiative had been suspended for nearly seven months due to the closure of the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
Furthermore, the operation aims to restore the natural flow of the Kunhar River and streams in Kaghan and Manor valleys.
By reclaiming the waterways, the district administration aspires to prevent future flash floods and create a conducive environment for tourism to thrive in the picturesque valleys.
