Alarmed over the increased incidence of farmers being alienated from their agricultural lands by some vested interests, the Karnataka Government has promulgated an ordinance restricting transfer of land for a period of ten years.
Under Karnataka Irrigation (Amendment) Ordinance 2003, issued on June 6, the government put restriction on alienation of irrigation land for a period of ten years from a date notified by the state government, virtually banning transfer of land by way of sale, lease, mortgage or exchange without the prior permission of the Irrigation Officer.
Karnataka Water Resources Minister H K Patil today told reporters the said measure was aimed at checking those who have been misguiding farmers to part with their lands.
He said a committee set up by the state government headed by S A Patil, an expert in Dharwad Agricultural University, has thrown light on certain startling incidents and also pointed out that about 51,144 acres of land had been alienated in Gulbarga district Upper Krishna Command Area.
Several "outsiders" and few rich farmers have purchased these lands from poor farmers, a menace, which if allowed to thrive, would throw up social problems such as, reducing farmers to become farm labourers, he said.
{{/usCountry}}Several "outsiders" and few rich farmers have purchased these lands from poor farmers, a menace, which if allowed to thrive, would throw up social problems such as, reducing farmers to become farm labourers, he said.
{{/usCountry}}Under the ordinance, no agricultural land was alienable after commencement of construction of field channel to irrigate any land from any irrigation work.