‘This is not development, it’s destruction’: Locals protest commercialisation of grazing land at Doodpathri

April 14, 2025 by News Desk

Alarmed by the rapid commercialisation of Doodhpathri’s lush meadows, residents of several villages in central Kashmir’s Khansahib area have issued an urgent appeal to the Forest Department: stop the encroachment of traditional grazing lands before it’s too late, local news agency Jammu Kashmir News Service reported.

“These aren’t just meadows — they are our lifeline,” said Ghulam Mohammad, a local herder whose family has grazed sheep on these lands for generations. “If these behaks vanish under the weight of tourism and unchecked development, so does our way of life.”

Once a serene pastureland echoing with the bells of livestock, Doodhpathri is now being reshaped by aggressive tourism infrastructure, off-road vehicles, and plastic waste. Locals say the ecosystem is on the brink of collapse.

“We are not against tourism,” said another resident, Shabir Ahmad. “But tourism without regulation is just destruction. Paragliders, ATVs, and unchecked footfall are tearing apart this fragile landscape. There must be limits, or there will be nothing left to preserve.”

The residents are demanding an immediate halt to construction and tourist activities on grazing routes, strict regulation of vehicular access, and a ban on paragliding in ecologically sensitive zones.

“What we’re witnessing is slow death — of the land, of the water, of our animals,” said Ruqaya Bano, another local. “This is not development, it’s devastation dressed in the garb of tourism.”

Waste from visitors, they say, is choking streams and meadows once known for their purity. The fragile balance between people, animals, and nature is tilting fast — and not in favor of sustainability.

“This land has fed our flocks for centuries,” said Abdul Rashid, an elderly villager. “It deserves more respect than being turned into a playground for the wealthy. We ask the administration: Will you act now, or only when there’s nothing left to save?”

Locals are urging immediate intervention and long-term conservation measures to preserve the meadows for future generations, warning that what’s lost now may never be reclaimed.

(JKNS)

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