During the period of Maharaja Hari Singh, the agrarian land in our valley known as the Abi Awal was preserved for the cultivation of paddy. This land was exclusively reserved to avoid future food scarcity in times of war, famine, and so on. At that time, there was a complete ban on the conversion of paddy fields into infrastructures. In the past times when there was no source of livelihood, agriculture was the only hope for the unemployed people of the valley. The farmers used to stand under the bright sun during the day to the cultivation of paddy. This way they fed their families. Unfortunately, after independence things changed, the ban was lifted and from that point, people have been constructing, private buildings, shopping complexes, industries, factories, and housing colonies on these wetlands without fearing the authorities. Who has questioned them till now? If it is so then why do we come to see countless structures on the Abi Awal? Who allowed them to construct structures on these wetlands? This simply reveals the careless attitude of the previous Governments and the support of the elite classes. Buildings are not ants that can’t be easily seen but they are very large constructions that can be identified by the authorities within no time. If we observe today one of the reasons for unemployment is the shrinkage of Aabi Awal (Irrigated land) at a rapid pace which is definitely a loss to the nation. Around 70 percent of the population of Jammu and Kashmir is wholly solely dependent on agriculture. It is unfortunate that thousands of kanals of agricultural land has been converted into commercial buildings.
The farmers are mostly hit by this conversion. People are selfishly constructing two to three houses, that too in a horizontal way due to which most of the land is occupied. Has anyone raised a question about why they are constructing extra buildings? They are making properties for their own comfort but what about the future of the valley? By constructing buildings we are saying goodbye to the economy booster that is agriculture. The future generations will have no source of income because people are not seeking abstinence from constructing illegal buildings. If this continues to happen then one day there will be no land for rice cultivation in the coming future. We don’t mean that people must not construct structures but the best way to do so is building 4-5 storey building structures or the sky crappers. The vertical concept of constructing buildings is the best way to save agricultural land from being occupied. This way people in the valley can live with comfort and agriculture will be strongly revived. On one hand, the agricultural land is shrinking, on the other, the farmers are converting it into horticulture. Is it not a time to get worried about the future? Which way is agriculture going? Is it not a failure of the Department? Is the valley ready for natural calamities in terms of food? Food which is a basic need is about to vanish slowly still we are taking these issues for granted. No doubt the government has taken many initiatives for the demolition of illegal buildings but still, there are constructions on wetlands which are not been identified yet. Abi Awal is a golden source of income that needs to be given attention. People must be not spared at any cost who tries to occupy such land. Mindless land conversion is occurring in Kashmir for a long time now and its ultimate repercussions are going to be catastrophic. We must stop the land conversion trend at any cost; otherwise, we will be short of land resources forever. Furthermore, anti-conversion land laws need to be imposed and a heavy penalty should be imposed on those who violate these laws.
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