Farmland Conversion: Dir Agri (K) calls for strict action against violators

Srinagar: Taking serious note over land conversion in the valley, Director Agriculture Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi Wednesday stressed upon the officers to tighten noose around the violators by taking on board the enforcement agencies.
The Director Agriculture said the conversion of Agriculture land for commercial purposes is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the Kashmir Valley and if necessary, steps are not taken to contain the menace it will have devastating impact on our generations to come.
“Unplanned constructions like raising of colonies, factories, brick kilns, shopping complexes and other commercial establishments is severely effecting agriculture sector of the state”, he said and added that a threat is looming large as Kashmir Valley will be without staple food if the practice continues.
Andrabi highlighted the role of Agriculture department as an important stakeholder and directed the Chief Agriculture Officers, officers of the Law Enforcement Agency and other senior officers of the department to play their role to check the conversion of Agriculture land.
He called upon the officers to take necessary steps to increase awareness among the farmers regarding the long-term impact of farmland conversion. He advised that for increasing production and productivity, need of the hour is to achieve high efficiency levels in the preservation, utilisation of land and water resources, altogether prohibiting conversion of productive agriculture land for non-agriculture purposes, and taking time bound measures to check conversion of agriculture land and degradation of water resources.