Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 4: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ranjeet Singh Chib highlighting conversion of world famous Basmati rice growing land into concrete jungle in R S Sub Division, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice B S Walia today granted three weeks time to AAG Ehsan Mirza for filing the Action Taken Report (ATR) and fresh status report mentioning the names of persons who have converted the land use to non-agriculture purposes.
According to the PIL, thousands of kanals of land has been converted into banquet halls, residential colonies and business complex in last five years without obtaining permission from the Revenue Minister as required under J&K Land Revenue Act.
“In J&K, 65% of the population depends upon agriculture and alleged sector but in RS Pura more than 90% people directly or indirectly deal with agriculture sector and if this illegal conversion of land is not stopped at this stage, the cost of Basmati Rice which has increased three times in last 3 years would go out of the reach of common man”, the petitioner said.