Srinagar 22 April: Expressing serious concern over the drought-like situation in Breng area of South Kashmir due to Sinkhole in Brengi Nallah at Wandevelgam Kokernag, General Secretary Jammu & Kashmir Kisan Tehreek Ghulam Nabi Malik submitted memorandum to concerned authorities to address the problem.
He said the nallah covers more than 30 villages from Nagam Kokernag to Ashajipora Anantnag with thousands of hectares of agricultural land facing a serious threat of drought.
Despite visits by experts, the problem continues, of course hole is covered but sinking in a particular volume continues. Because of seasonal increase in water in the Nallah, the downstream flow of some water is witnessed. Since the dry spell continues therefore the said flow cannot be expected to continue in coming days also, hence a drought situation for a vast area is imminent.
Malik demanded utilisation of the unused hillside canal to divert the water of Nallah which will help to bypass the sinkhole and the leftover water can be utilised through already existing Bringi canal and this will help to save the above mentioned vast area.
During the developmental activities mainly the agricultural land gets consumed including the trees including fruit trees, which affects agricultural production and the environment. Four lane highways have in this respect been damaged in a big way. Though, development cannot be averted but the land consumed should be given a due and in time compensation according to the land acquisition Act of 2013 and the trees particularly the fruit trees and Chinar trees should be preferably avoided to be axed. But the contrary happens. In this respect the Anantnag-Sinthan-Kishtwar road is a fresh case. On these roads hundreds of years old Chinars are brutally axed which continues to this date as well. In the present world the people prefer to transplant such important trees but in our unique land there are unique companies, unique administrators and unique people with little or less concern with these issues.
Referring to the provision of the Land Pass Books for property land to the kisans, he said correct land records at ground level are mostly absent. To ensure the correct land record on ground level the existing Panchayat bodies/Awqaaf Committees should be utilised. Moreover, any land other than property land particularly under the cultivation of small and marginal farmers should not be considered for eviction.
Any common or state land of a particular area should not be evicted at the cost of the interests of local inhabitants, particularly the poor and marginal.
