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| Farmland row: Loopholes in Act |
| Over the past five decades most of them have bought land using a loophole in archaic land owning laws.
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| INDIA
, 7-June-2007
1:14:39 AM |
| The land close to the Pavana dam backwaters right upto Lonavala between Mumbai and Pune has been a magnet for film stars, politicians and industrialists for years.
Over the past five decades most of them have bought land using a loophole in archaic land owning laws.
According to the Maharashtra Tenancy and Agriculture Land Act 1963, any person can buy agriculture land in the area if he already owns agriculture land elsewhere or is a farmer by profession.
The vague clause has prompted big stars like Amitabh Bachhan and a host of others to show themselves as farmers holding agriculture land.
The ripple effect of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati taking on the Big B has pushed a long- standing practise into the headlines.
Officials in charge of land records say that even if they know that a film star is not a farmer they cannot take action and just have to go by the rulebook.
''We are following whatever is there in the Act,'' said Bhanudas Gaikwad, SDO.
The high profile controversy has woken up another dormant controversy in the area. Nearly 30 years ago, 800 farmers were displaced by the Pavana Dam. Those who have not been resettled want to know why VIPs are instead getting land.
''We are asking the government for resettlement for years but nobody pays heed to our requests. We are told to go away. It is a big fraud,'' said Baba Adhav, social activist.
But the owners of the land say it is not a government donation as it has been bought from private farmers.
At any rate if the government is serious about protecting farmers, they need to change outdated laws rather than going after high profile targets.
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