Farmers allege harassment under Land Reforms Act

NEW DELHI: When the Delhi government published full page advertisements between June 27 and June 30 in various newspapers announcing its intention to amend the archaic

NEW DELHI: When the Delhi government published full page advertisements between June 27 and June 30 in various newspapers announcing its intention to amend the archaic sections of the Delhi Land Reforms( DLR) Act of 1954 and allow non-agricultural use of agriculture land, it raised hope for farmers who have been fighting frivolous litigations since the 80s over minor offences.

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The revenue department has, however, gone into an overdrive to implement the act since then, say farmers.

A case in point is a list of cases displayed outside the sub divisional magistrate Rohini which shows that out of 16 cases listed for hearing on October 4,15 were related to the violation of section 81 which prohibits non-agricultural use of agriculture land.

Revenue records allege that these farmers sold soil from their farmland to brick kilns in 1997 and hence violated section 81.

“On frivolous pretext, revenue department seizes the land rights from farmers under section 81 and rests it with the gram sabha (a state government body) and then sends them notices to appear before the SDM,” says VP Dabas, an advocate, appearing for one of the farmers.

Sukhvir Darar, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Mundka rejected farmers’ allegations. “DIR Act was misused in the past. The AAP government is committed to repeal and amend the act in the farmers’ interest ,” says Dar ar.

Some suggest the government can step in.

DS Lakhra, an advocate who handles cases under section 81 says that patwaris ( record keeper of land use) have made false entries into the revenue records by showing violations of trivial nature.

Senior officers from the revenue headquarters refused to respond, however, Azimul Haque, deputy commissioner, West Delhi rejected farmers’ allegations that frivolous cases are being brought up against them.

“As far as implementation of the act is concerned, we will implement it as long as it is not repealed or amended else all agricultural land will come under construction,” he says.

In cases where people have constructed houses or warehouses, the revenue department has vested the land rights with the government in land records but physical possession continues to be with the violators as“we don’ t have any measure to ensure our physical ownership on the land,” says Haque.

Arunoday Prakash, media adviser to deputy CM Manish Sisodia, refused to comment on the matter.