Excelsior Correspondent
SUNDERBANI, Mar 18: Former MLC and senior Congress leader Ravinder Sharma has termed the action of the Revenue Administration to deprive the small and marginal farmers of the small land holdings by the unilateral and arbitrary deletion of their Girdawaris over state lands under their cultivation and occupation for decades together, as unjust, unfair and a cause of undue harassment to the thousands of farmers dependant on such lands for their livelihood.
Interacting with several affected farmers in Sunderbani and Nowshera areas during three days tour, Sharma criticized the arbitrary and unjust orders of the authorities to remove the Girdawaris of the farmers who are occupants and in cultivating possession of adjacent pieces of lands for several decades without prior notice and without consideration of the small land holdings or even land less persons. A large of poor farmers have been affected by paper work and in the absence of any fair and just guidelines especially small and marginal farmers. Thus is great injustice to the farming community especially those settled from fifties and sixties and stepped into the shoes of their ancestors.
He said already large number of families especially local occupants on evacuee lands are being harassed by custodian department for monetary and other considerations despite being peaceful occupants of agricultural lands since 1947 onwards continuously. Such harassment is totally avoidable to the genuine occupants whereas Custodian Department is in league with some corrupt elements and land grabbers. He sought enquiry into illegal and arbitrary allotments and lease hold rights being extended on selective basis to blue-eyed few while harassing the genuine occupants of several decades.
Ex-MLC said while the tribal population has some protections under the Central legislation, the Forest rights to tribals and other dwellers act of the year 2006″, which stands extended now, the general people too have rights after decades of possession but the Government has adopted an arbitrary and unjust method which is wrong and injustice to the genuine occupants and farmers.
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