The Himachal Pradesh CPM has objected the state government decision of giving relaxation in Land Reforms and tenancy act especially section 118 for attracting industries in the state.
Tikender Singh Panwar, a senior CPM leader, in his press communiqué, said that the party has no objection to the laying of green field path for the industries in the state but cautioned against diluting the act. He said that the land reforms and tenancy act was effectively implemented in the state to ensure that the agricultural land is protected from the sell out to capital and its investors.
The party has asked the government and the congress party to learn from its debacle and restrict this rightward shift in its policies as CPM believed that would only benefit the BJP as it happens to be more adapted to implement these policies.
The CPM has advised the government re-look into its policies as majority of the industries have come in the periphery where they enjoyed tax holidays and cater to the needs of the neighbouring states more than the Himachal Pradesh.
The policy of prioritization of industries also needs to be done as the state has a fragile ecology and recently a study has been done in Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh (BBN) area where the ground water has large quantities of metal poisoning.
The leftist party advised government to attract industries related to food processing and IT and advised to improve existing infrastructure in the state. The CPM cautioned that by relaxing the provisions of section 118 of the tenancy act would only bring land sharks in the guise of industrial houses.
The party has cautioned the government to desist from this move and in case there are genuine industrial houses who want to enter the state, the government akin to past should provide them permission on priority basis. Otherwise there will be a Pandora box opening where how many relaxations were given under which regime would start as polemics of the day, Panwar cautioned.
