land consolidation and efforts for improvement of land are vital for facilitating the desired level of development in the mountainous regions. Various speakers echoed this view at a public awareness programme organised at the Government museum in Almora by the Garib Kranti Abhiyan (GKA) organisation, which has been working for land consolidation in Uttarakhand.
Addressing the gathering, mountain land consolidation advisory committee vice chairman Ganesh Singh ‘Garib’ said that land consolidation is a must for developing mountain agriculture. Realising the importance of land consolidation, a mountain land consolidation department has been formed. The stakeholders should ensure that as many suggestions as possible are submitted to the State Government for the land consolidation bill being prepared. He said, “There are some misconceptions in the public regarding land consolidation. Our identity and standing can be secure only if our agriculture is secure and for this land deals need to be restricted in Uttarakhand as done in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.”
GKA adviser and former horticulture officer Kevalanand Tiwari said that the new generation will have to be linked to spread of horticulture which will be impossible without land consolidation. Senior advocate Hyat Singh Rawat said that the State Government should create a land bank. land shouldbe facilitated for those interesting in taking up farming, he said. The head of Kisan Mahasabha, Purushottam Sharma said that in order to save mountain society, it is vital that along with land consolidation, the State Government also conduct land reform programmes. GKA coordinator Kapil Dobhal said that a large number of villages in the mountains are now deserted which is not in the interests of the State and nation from the strategic point of view. To address this, the government should link land consolidation with efforts aimed at repopulating the deserted villages, he added.
Mountain land consolidation advisory committee member Bachi Singh Dev alleged that while corruption continues in the government machinery, villagers are playing the role of middle men to sell off lands in the mountains, he said.