The government is planning to impose curbs on purchasing paddy fields in the state,Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the Assembly on Monday.
The measure is to prevent the conversion of paddy fields in the state,which is going unchecked despite the hue and cry from various quarters against the trend.
He also said that a new draft for paddy field-wetland conservation data bank will be published on September 17.
Replying to the adjournment motion moved by V S Sunilkumar (CPI),the Chief Minister said that an enactment will be introduced to prevent those who are not paddy farmers from purchasing fields in the state, so as to ensure that only agricultural activity takes place even after a land transfer and to keep the land mafia at bay.
“The government will discuss the details of the proposed law with the the Opposition also,” he promised.
When Sunil Kumar alleged that the move to cancel the existing paddy field-wetland conservation data bank was owing to the pressure by the land mafia, Chandy maintained that there was no question of yielding to any pressure on this score but admitted that there were some discrepancies in the data.
Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash also gave an undertaking that there was no move to scrap the data bank as such, but district-level inspections would be held under the leadership of Deputy Tahsildars, agricultural officers and representatives of local bodies for effective compiling.
District Collectors have been given a three month deadline to submit the committee’s report.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan came up in support of wellmeant measures of the State Government to rein in the land mafia in the state.
He also said that in view of the government’s gesture to take the Opposition also into confidence on the issue of paddy fields and wetland conservation, a walkout from the Assembly is being held back.
IPR Academy
According to Finance-Law Minister K M Mani, an Intellectual Property Rights Academy to cater to training and future programmes on issues related to protection of intellectual property will be established in the state.
Manaf’s treatment
The state government will meet the expenses for the treatment of Manaf, who is undergoing hospital treatment, after he was hit by a bullet which accidentally went off from the RPF jawan’s pistol in the railway station a couple of days ago.