Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat
Last year’s World Food Day which is celebrated on October 16th every year had a very thoughtful theme. Our Actions are our future. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and better life. Our anti nature and anti-climate actions will indeed be visible in future when there will be no farmlands in Jammu & Kashmir. We won’t even be able to grow paddy, vegetables or the fruits. The policies for development adopted by the Govt are not formulated as per the scientific studies or keeping the future into consideration. Because of very small land holdings, the majority of the farmers in Jammu & Kashmir are officially recognized as marginal farmers. The size of small agricultural landholdings in J&K was estimated at 0.55 hectares during the agriculture census 2015-16, but unofficial sources say that land holding is much smaller (around 0.40 hectares ). In Kashmir valley, the size is even smaller. During the 2010-2011 agriculture census, the average size of operational land holdings in India was 1.15 hectares. This figure was lower, at 0.62 hectares in Jammu and Kashmir. Districts in Kashmir valley had even lower landholding sizes than the state as a whole. Kulgam 0.39 hectares, Anantnag 0.39 , Shopian 0.56, Pulwama 0.48, Srinagar 0.31, Budgam 0.43, Baramulla 0.51, Ganderbal 0.37, Kupwara 0.51, Bandipora 0.48. This figure again came down during the 2015-16 census.
In Jammu & Kashmir where most farmers own less than an acre of land ( around 4 kanals) any Government policy related to land acquisition, especially for “development projects”, needs to take into account the fragile mountainous environment and climatic conditions as well. At a time when the agricultural land is shrinking day by day and population on the rise and authorities at helm like National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are acquiring huge chunks of fertile land in Kashmir valley and Jammu plains as well. In such a situation what is the future of agriculture in Jammu & Kashmir ? Aren’t we heading towards food crises in future?
As the world’s overall population is expected to increase by another 2 billion by 2040, feeding such a large population will be the most challenging task. Scientific studies show earth has lost one- fourth of its arable lands over the last 50 years only. India has a huge population. Urbanization and industrialization is shrinking India’s agricultural land. The situation in J&K is more alarming.
Shrinking paddy lands
Last year there was a report published in a Srinagar based English daily wherein it was revealed that Kulgam district in south Kashmir has lost its 50 % paddy land. Kulgam used to be known as the rice bowl of Kashmir more than 25 years back and has converted huge chunks of paddy land into apple orchards. The report said that 22,000 hectares of land in the district are presently under paddy cultivation, which yield Rs 237 crore annually. Official figures say that twenty years back around 44,000 hectares of land was in Kulgam. It means the local population has converted 50 % of paddy land into apple farms. Frisal , Yaripora, Qimoh used to be known for the best quality rice. Now there are mostly apple orchards in the area. Infact this is not a good trend to convert our vegetable and paddy land into apple orchards , but still we feel safe as growing apples is itself a farm activity. Personally I am not a hardcore supporter of non conversion of paddy land into apple farms but when I see paddy land , vegetable farms or apple orchards being bulldozed and converted into residential colonies, highways or shopping malls , it hurts me a lot. Govt needs to be backed by a major increase in responsible investment and strong support to reduce negative environmental and social impacts. This is not at all taken into consideration in the environmentally fragile Kashmir valley especially during the land acquisition process. As the work on the Srinagar Ring Road project has started , Budgam karewas are again being bulldozed day in and day out. They were destroyed during construction of Qazigund Baramulla railway line, and now they will vanish completely after 4 years when the work on Srinagar Ring Road would be completed.
Forcible land acquisition
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in association with District Administration Budgam last year in October axed down fully grown apple trees in Budgam that came under the alignment of the proposed Srinagar Ring Road passing through several areas of Budgam district. 4700 kanals of irrigated land is coming under alignment of Srinagar Ring Road in Budgam district alone. In addition to it huge chunk of state land kahah charai will also be acquired by Govt. The affected farmers are not even paid fair compensation. I have been highlighting this issue for last 5 years now. The assessment for fruit trees was made as per the rates applicable 26 years back when the wholesale rate of apple was mere Rs 16 per kg and plum was sold @ Rs 13 per kg. More than 300 apple trees have been axed around Gudsathoo and Budibagh villages of Budgam.
Heavy duty earth movers (JCBs) were pressed into service to take possession of the land at many places. Ironically 40 % of the affected farmers in Gudsathoo have not been given any compensation till date and their land is also being acquired by force. The locals had gone to High Court for a stay order but their petition has been clubbed with other petitions pertaining to Srinagar Ring Road and the matter is listed on Oct 21st, 2021before High Court division bench. The Budibagh residents have already obtained a stay order from the High Court but NHAI and District Administration didn’t respect that order
Similarly Jammu’s Bishnah and R S Tehsil’s have lost its huge chunk of agricultural land as the same has been acquired by Govt for construction of Jammu Ring Road. In return the affected families have not even been paid the market value of land. One of the land owners in Bishnah namely Harbans Lal committed suicide when local revenue officials bulldozed his house. Poor Harbans Lal an ex service man was paid mere Rs 11 lakhs for his ½ kanal land and house. For such a meagre amount he could not even buy a kanal of land in Kishtwar or Poonch. Another farmer Harbans Singh also an ex service man in Malikpura Bansultan village of Jammu district was asked to accept Rs 13.60 lakhs for 8 kanals of land which has a market value of more than Rs 5 crores ?
Conclusion
Jammu & Kashmir is losing its irrigated fertile land. Even the rivers are being leased out, big contractors are excavating sand , stones and other material by mutilating the nallahs , streams and rivers with huge JCBs and machines. The Geology and Mining Department including revenue officials and police are mute spectators as these contractors are violating the DPR guidelines. In many waterbodies like Shali Ganga and Doodh Ganga in Budgam , the machines are going as deep as 10 to 15 feet instead of 3 to 4 feet ? The surrounding agricultural lands are under threat as depth of many rivers and streams is going down considerably due to stone and sand excavation. We are heading for a disaster as there will be acute food crises after two decades. During 1940’s or 50s people of Jammu & Kashmir were poor , but we were self-sufficient in production of rice , vegetables, poultry and mutton. Paddy (Shali ) used to be procured locally by the Govt and supplied to people through Shali Store which is now called the Food and Civil Supplies department. If the Govt is acquiring land for developmental purposes at least they must pay a compensation which is fair and just. Our negative actions will be reflected in our future when whole of J&K from Lakhanpur to Kupwara or Poonch to Kishtwar will be like a concrete jungle.
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