By Dr. Ashraf Zainabi

Land is the foundation of life. It feeds us, shelters us, sustains our economies, and forms the very identity of a place. But in Kashmir, land is under siege. Not by foreign powers or natural disasters, but by the greed and short-sightedness of its own people and policymakers.

The lush fields that once grew saffron, paddy, and almonds are being swallowed by an unchecked industrial explosion, urban sprawl, and infrastructure projects.

Kashmir’s total agricultural land has shrunk from 467,700 hectares in 2015 to just 389,000 hectares today. That’s a staggering loss of land in the last 10 years alone—of nearly 78,700 hectares (17%)—that could have fed generations. Given this land conversion trend, Kashmir may witness 50% agricultural land loss by 2050. And by the time, the population may see a 20% increase. As already reported, the average land-holding per household in Kashmir stands at less than 4 kanals. It may go below 2 kanals by 20250. And it is not hard to imagine the consequences.

Another agricultural land-consuming policy of the government under consideration at the moment is the construction of satellite townships. This proposed policy is aimed at decongesting the Srinagar city. But the land being identified is purely the agricultural land available on the sides of the Srinagar semi-ring road. Instead, the government must think of other available options, maybe the state lands around the karewas in........

© Kashmir Observer