Srinagar, April 11 (KNS): The construction of hotels, shopping malls and residential houses on agricultural, horticulture land is going on unabated in Kashmir in absence of any monitoring body to keep check on it.
Despite several laws being in place, the state government has failed to stop the conversion of agricultural land into commercial and residential purposes.
As per Agriculture department officials, lakhs of kanals of agriculture land has been converted for commercial and other purposes in Kashmir over the years.
The provisions of J&K Land Revenue Act 1996 prohibit the conversion of paddy or vegetable land into any other use. Besides violation of laws, the construction of residential and commercial buildings on agricultural land is violation of the master plan.
The High Court had pulled up the state government several times and directed the authorities to ensure that no conversion of agricultural land is allowed for commercial, residential and industrial purposes.
Agriculture is the prime source of the state income as around 70 percent of the population is directly or indirectly involved with it.
The Economic Survey Report has also portrayed a grim picture of conversion of agricultural land, saying it is happening “at an alarming rate” and leading to further dependence of food on imports from outside the state.
As per the report, the arable land in J&K has shrunk from 0.14 hectare per-person in 1981 to 0.08 hectare per-person in 2001 and further to 0.06 hectare per-person in 2012.
According to a report by Town Planning Organisation Kashmir, Rapid conversion of agriculture land in Srinagar to non-farm activities will drastically bring down a number of jobs in primary sector in the next 15 years.
The report says conversion in Srinagar district will reduce jobs like cultivators and agriculture labourers from the present 8 percent to 3 percent by 2035.
Recently Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole reviewed the progress made with regard to demarcation, land transfer, installation of boundary walls, geo coordinate, pillars and removal of encroachments of wetlands including Wullar, Hokersar, Gilsar, Anchar, Narkara, and Manasbal lakes.
The Div Com also stressed on the removal of illegal encroachments on Tchount Kul, Brari Nambal, Rakhi Arath and Nalla Amir Khan.
At the outset, Div Com directed concerned DCs to ensure timely demarcation and ensure removal of all encroachments.
Emphasizing on close monitoring, he instructed concerned to take stringent action including register FIRs against the offenders indulging in repeated illegal activities.
An environmental expert said that the conversion of Agriculture and Horticulture zone with clearance and approval of the revenue authorities for residential and commercial constructions across Kashmir is fast reducing Kashmir into a construction zone.
Director Agriculture Kashmir Mohd Iqbal Choudhry told Kashmir News Service-(KNS) that he has sent letters to the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts of Kashmir valley to stop constructions on agriculture land used for cultivation of paddy and other crops.
Director Horticulture Kashmir Aijaz Ahmad Bhat told Kashmir News Service-(KNS) that he too plans to write letters to Deputy Commissioner's of all the districts to take action against the violation of the construction norms for allowing residential and Commercial constructions on Horticulture land. (KNS)