Horticulture land being used for other activities

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 1

After diverting vast tracts of agriculture land of GB Pant Nagar Agriculture and Technical University for setting up industries, the land under government orchards too is destined to meet a similar treatment. Already several acres under government orchards have been diverted for non-horticulture activities in the state.

Far from reviving the 104 government orchards that have fallen on bad days, the government is busy transferring land to set-up mandis, expansion of university, for sport and judiciary infrastructure.

The Department of Horticulture is in possession of around 104 orchards, out of which 14 were given to private parties for the purpose of reviving them, but the exercise failed in its purpose. Last year, the government ended the agreement with the reviving parties.

In between, the government transferred a portion of the land from the government orchard at Gairsain for establishing of a junior division court in Gairsain. Considering that Gairsian is to become the summer capital of the state and the need to develop infrastructure. Not much was made of the issue. But soon a portion of the land from a government orchard in Ukhimath for setting up farm market was also diverted to the Mandi Parishad. This was followed by transfer of land to the Department of Sports from the government orchard at Pithoragarh. A tract of land at Paintoli (Narayan Bagar) is to be transferred for the University of Agriculture and Forestry (Bharsar). Several acres of land from the government orchard at Almora have also been transferred to the Department of Industries for setting up a institute for local craftsmen.

“I am apprehensive that the next plan of action on the part of the government will be to divert the land under orchards for housing and industrial purpose where the big buck is. It did so at Pant Nagar and would not hesitate from doing the same with the orchards,” said Rajesh Shukla BJP MLA.

At the same time in a bid to revive the orchards, the Department of Horticulture drafted a proposal for the up keep of the orchards through the committees, but citing financial crunch, the Department of Finance red flagged the proposal.