Source: The Sangai Expressk
Imphal, February 27, 2010:
With increase in human population requiring more and more space for settlement and other purposes as well as due to pace of urbanisation picking up, available agricultural land in Manipur has shrunk from 1950 sq km in the past to 286 sq km today.
The matter came to light during the course of an independent investigation by The Sangai Express.
The investigation confirmed that of the total available agricultural land of 1950 sq km in Manipur earlier, around 286 sq km have been lost in the process of urbanisation and construction of more houses and schools following increase in human population.
In comparison, loss of agricultural land is more widely visible in valley districts than in the hill districts.
Interacting with The Sangai Express in this regard, Director of Agriculture disclosed that although the total cultivable land of the State in the record of the Department is 1950 sq km, there is no record of how much have been reduced over the years.
Though agricultural land have been taken over for various purposes, the same has not been converted into Ingkhol pattaland (homestead land).
This may be to evade payment of more taxes, the Director opined.
From the latest satellite image taken by the Manipur Remote Sensing Application Centre, it is estimated that the total agricultural land in Manipur today around 1674 sq km.
According to an official source from the Revenue Dept, even though the Govt has mooted enactment of an Act to protect the agricultural land, it is yet to be materialised.