SRINAGAR, MARCH 24(KMW): It is a veracity and historical fact that human civilization began with agriculture. When our nomadic ancestors began to settle and grow their own food, human society was thus forever changed towards positivism. Not only did villages, towns and cities begin to flourish, but so did knowledge, the arts and the technological sciences. And for most of history, society’s connection to the land was much cherished. Human communities, no matter how stylish they pretend to be , could not ignore the importance of agriculture. To be far from dependable sources of food is to risk malnutrition and starvation.
But in Kashmir the masses and policy makers seem to be giving a deaf ear to this fact and as a result precious and limited agriculture land is being converted into residential colonies. Reports have revealed that paddy land has been increasingly shrinking in Kashmir after being used for residential and commercial purposes, shrinking the land from 1.6 lakh hectares to 1.3 lakh Kanals from the last 8 to 9 years despite the fact that Kashmir faces acute food crisis and is a land locked area.
The rot has run very deep . According to reliable sources,at least 10,000 hectares (2 lakh kanals) of agricultural land in Kashmir have been converted to or used for non-agricultural purposes in the past two decades, primarily on account of failure of the Jammu and Kashmir government to curb the large-scale conversion process of agricultural land mostly into residential mess .
It is learnt that out of the “net sown or cultivated†area of 3.5 lakh hectares in Kashmir, more than 10,000 hectares have already been converted to non-agricultural use that too right under the noose of the enforcement agencies including the all important Revenue Department.
One has witnessed this grim veracity of conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural purposes everywhere in the Kashmir Valley. The areas falling under the Srinagar -Leh Highway, Srinagar- Jammu highway bear epitome of this shameful veracity. Also areas like Chanapora Natipora, Bemina and areas throughout kashmir are fast losing agricultural land to concrete jungles.
Even the voices of conscience are trying hard to save this massacre of agricultural land. Pro- Freedom leader Engineer Hilal Ahmad War who has filled many Public Interest Litigation against unauthorized colonies believes that if we move at this mad pace of converting agricultural land into concrete jungles we will be doomed very soon.
In nutshell, in name of false notion of development Commercial constructions have been coming up fast on agricultural land in Kashmir threatening our very existence.
