IIOJK’s Agriculture Threatened due to Satellite Townships Colonies

Farmers in IIOJK are sounding the alarm as plans for satellite townships along the Ring Road threaten to leave them landless, exacerbating the region’s agricultural crisis.

Farmers and activists in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are sounding alarms over the government’s plans to construct satellite colonies along the Ring Road. Their greatest fear is the further erosion of agricultural land, which is already in jeopardy due to ongoing development projects.

The farmers’ concerns are not unfounded. They have already been severely impacted by the construction of the Ring Road. Many warn that the proposed satellite townships could make it impossible for them to sustain their livelihoods. As one farmer from Chadoora put it, “My family of eight depends on farming. During the construction of the Ring Road, I lost half of my land. If colonies are built, we will have no land left for farming, and I fear for my son’s future.”

The situation is dire. The Srinagar Semi Ring Road Project alone has already claimed thousands of kanals of fertile land. Dr. Raja Muzaffar Butt, a social activist who has extensively researched land acquisition in the region, explains that the impact on farmers has been devastating. “In Budgam district, over 5,000 kanals of land were acquired, yet the affected farmers were not compensated fairly. In Wathoora, Chadoora, land was bought for Rs 45 lakhs per kanal, when the market rate was over Rs 1 crore in 2021.”

This discrepancy in compensation has left many farmers struggling to recover, and now, with the Housing Board planning to build satellite townships along the Ring Road, the stakes are even higher. Dr. Butt warns, “Farmers are still recovering from that shock, and now the Housing Board wants to build townships? Where will people grow crops or apples?” His concern is echoed by many others in the region, who believe that if this trend continues, IIOJK’s agricultural sector will be irreparably damaged.

The fear of becoming landless by 2035 is not unfounded. If the construction of these satellite colonies goes ahead, the loss of agricultural land will accelerate. Additionally, the Master Plan for the region mandates 20% green spaces, but currently, only 2% of the land is designated as such. This discrepancy further exacerbates the environmental risks and threatens the future of farming in IIOJK.

As the government continues to prioritize urban expansion, the livelihoods of Kashmiri farmers hang in the balance. Without adequate compensation and a sustainable plan, the rural communities of IIOJK may soon be left without the land that sustains them.