Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 22: A high court division bench of Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan today disposed of a PIL on the 'illegal' conversion of Basmati rice land into a concrete jungle in R S Pura sub-division, giving a liberty to the petitioner to approach the authorities concerned as provided in J&K Land Revenue Act, Svt 1996.
The court directive came in a PIL in which the petitioner shown his concern for illegal conversion of world famous Basmati rice land into concrete jungle in R S Pura sub-division. He submitted that thousands of kanals of land had been converted into banquet halls, residential colonies and business complexes in the last five years without obtaining permission from the Revenue Minister as required under J&K Land Revenue Act.
He submitted that in J&K, 65 pc of population depends upon agriculture, but in RS Pura, more than 90 pc people were directly or indirectly linked with agriculture sector and if this illegal conversion of land was not stopped at this stage, the cost of Basmati rice, which had increased three times in last thee years, ie from Rs 5,000 per quintal to Rs 15,000 per quintal, would go out of the reach of common man.
The bench, after hearing both the sides, observed that the latest compliance report filed by the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, though 'indicates other areas as well, where such illegal conversion of agricultural land is galore yet neither petitioner nor respondents have pointed out any such illegal conversion specifically'.
"We have a legislation called The J&K Land Revenue Act, Svt 1996 that deals with all facets, matters and issues concerning making and maintenance of records-of-rights in land, assessment and collection of the land revenue, prevention on conversion of land and all other matters incidental thereto. Section 133-A of the Act gives efficacious remedy to take care of such situation, including what has been groused by the petitioner in the PIL, and the concerned revenue functionary under the auspices of the Act, can very well deal with such a situation with an iron hand," the bench said.
With these observations, the court disposed of the PIL, giving liberty to the petitioner to approach the concerned authority as provided in the Act and directing that the authority concerned should proceed in the matter in accordance with the Act applicable rules and norms. --(JNF) |
