Proposal to relax Sect 118 of Land Reforms Act faces opposition in Kullu-Manali region

The state government’s reported proposal to relax provisions of Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972 has triggered widespread concern among local communities, particularly in the Kullu-Manali region. Local organisations and residents fear that the move could pave the way for wealthy outsiders to acquire agricultural land, pushing poor and small farmers into economic distress.

Expressing strong opposition to the proposed relaxation, Anup Thakur, president of the Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal, said that the decision would be detrimental to the interests of the state’s poor and rural population. “The idea of relaxing Section 118 goes completely against the interests of the common people of Himachal Pradesh. It will open the doors for rich outsiders to buy agricultural land, depriving local farmers and small landholders of their livelihood and ancestral property,” said Thakur.

Thakur urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to shun the idea of relaxing Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972 in Himachal to protect Himachal’s agrarian identity and culture. He said that the CM is a man who arose from common background and he knows very well the problems of common people. “We are hopeful that he will pay attention to our request,” he said.

Budhi Parkash, chairman HP Travel Agents Association, stated that if this proposal is implemented, areas like Kullu and Manali will be the badly affected. The poor and rustic population will be deprived of their small agricultural holdings, leading to social and economic imbalance.

“Himachali residents are not allowed to purchase land within Himachal in tribal areas like Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur. If government is mulling over to relax Section 118 to outsiders for land purchase in Himachal, then government should make amendment its laws to allow Himachali residents to purchase land in tribal districts of state,” he remarked.

He said that “now time has come to ban all kinds of commercial constructions in Himachal to maintain ecological balance and avoid natural disasters in near future because this state has already been overburdened by the commercial construction. In relaxation is provided, outsiders will purchase land in Himachal for commercial construction purpose. So, government should refrain from such amendments in Section 118 to benefit outsiders on the name of development.”

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has also criticised the move of state government to make amendments in Section 118.