Agri land conversion goes on unabated in Kathua | Property dealers, Revenue Deptt violate court directions | | Arun Kumar Early Times Report
Kathua, Nov 2: In the absence of any stringent measures on the ground, massive construction spree is fast turning agricultural land into domestic and commercial assets in Kathua district. The unregulated and unplanned swallowing up of agricultural land has been happening under the nose of the government, that too in violation of the High Court’s direction. The court had directed all Deputy Commissioners to stop conversion of agricultural land into residential colonies in their districts and asked them to explore possibility of accommodating the increasing population on modern lines. A Division Bench comprising Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magray had passed the directions on a Public Interest Litigation titled Human Watch International versus State of Jammu and Kashmir. The Human Watch International had filed the PIL seeking directions regarding the agriculture land conversion into residential housing colonies in violation of law including J&K Land Revenue Act, J&K agrarian Reforms act and other land laws. According to Jammu and Kashmir Economic Survey report 2012-13, the estimated percentage contribution of Agriculture & allied sector to State Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) has gone down to 21.19 per cent in 2011-12, against, the corresponding share of 28.06 per cent, registered in 2004-05 at constant prices. In Kathua, the Revenue officials are allegedly involved in the murky business and are in league with property dealers. Ram Lal, a local said, villages like Chann Garghan, Khokhyal, Sher Pur, Mulla Talab etc are more targeted by property dealers and Revenue officers to convert land of poor farmers for commercial purposes. He said bureaucrats, medical professionals, retired professors are among the land buyers. Dalip Singh, Sarpanch of Chak Desa Singh, said that various implementing and monitoring agencies like Revenue Department, Municipal Committee, have failed to curb the mass constructions taking place on agricultural land. Singh said in Kathua the conversion of land into residential housing colonies is on peak and is in violation of law including J&K Land Revenue Act, J&K Agrarian Reforms Act and other laws. “Conversion of land is alarming. It is happening because there are no stringent measures on the ground,” he said. Raqeeb Ahmad, a farmer, said property dealers and Revenue officials pressurize farmers to sell their lands at low prices whereas same land after turning into plots is being sold at high rates. He said the state has enough laws to prohibit the use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes but only the implementation part from the concerned enforcing agencies is missing. DDC Kathua, Ramesh Kumar, condemned the practice of agriculture land conversion and said district administration has constituted a team to verify the matter. He said government is serious about encroachment and conversation of land and assured that stringent action would be taken against the violators.
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