Ludhiana
( Justice news)
In a very serious discussion by Ludhiana Book Club on: “Punjab- Cultivable Land Slips” by a concerned group of Scientists, Economists and Bankers and Sr Citizens, the participants urged Punjab Government to take proactive steps to save the basic Agri economic stature of the state. This group gathered to discuss the issue with reference to a latest well researched book under the same title in Punjabi. The meeting was presided over by Prof Dr M S Aulakh, A Founder Vice Chancellor at Banda University of Agriculture, ND University Ayodhya a former Dean Agriculture, PAU, Ludhiana.
Initiating discussion Dr Aulakh explained as to how since the time of British rule the people in this land of five rivers worked so hard to make even the arid land cultivable, but the most fertile and canal irrigated land of Punjab went to Pakistan. He dwelt upon the marvellous work of consolidation of land after 1947 partition done by Dr M S Randhawa and Partap Singh Kairon, former CM Punjab when farmers again worked hard to usher in the green revolution. However, he lamented that though Punjab has been forerunner to become the food bowl of the nation by providing 47% of wheat and around 35% of rice in the central pool with Punjab only 1.53% of geographical area of the country. But, unfortunately, now the fertile cultivable land is slipping to the land mafia of builders and colonizers including unplanned urbanisation. He apprehended a serious challenge to India’s food security.
Taking discussions further, Dr Puran Singh, Economist asked to learn from the Chinese model of Agriculture which legally preserves quantity and quality of cultivated land though it has got urbanisation fast. Principal Dr Gurcharan Singh was worried about the sale of land for quick cash which ultimately is unproductive leading to drug addiction too. Brij Bhushan Goyal, an ex-banker, asked the State govt. to increase collectorate rates for registration at par with market price agricultural land to discourage fertile land sale. He also urged the government to encourage Agro based Micro units in clusters of villages to supplement income of native youth involved in farming in their small patches of lands. Prof Dr G S Walia warned certain rich people in the rural side who encourage false ostentatiousness. Others who attended deliberations included Prof Bahadur Singh, S S Aulakh, G S Panesar, Karamjit Singh Kainth, Dr Jagmohan Singh Sidhu and Surinder Singh, a progressive farmer. Gurpreet Singh Toor, Author of the book on the subject said that a joint effort of academicians, state and farmers is needed to stop selling of cultivable fertile land. Dr M S Toor, a former professor at PAU thanked the intellectuals who dwelt the issue seriously and asked to continue the dialogue.
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