Plans afoot for filling up paddy fields in Kerala
Kerala Government is going ahead with the idea of bringing Land Use Law with provisions for filling up paddy fields under the law's protection. The argument is that all the paddy fields need not be protected, only those where rice is cultivated two times a year need to be protected. Others can be converted as land for other purposes like industrial or commercial or housing purposes.Provision to convert the paddy land is indirectly given in the proposed law through the nominal fine suggested for defying the Law. One need pay Rs.10,000/- or undergo one year's imprisonment !
It is reported that this immediate action to bring this law is to pave way for certain projects proposed at the Emerging Kerala sitting.
This new law will nullify the existing paddy field – wet land protection laws. In Kerala there are only a few paddy fields at present where two crops are taken annually.
