SRINAGAR: In his first interaction with the media after taking office, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressed concerns over land acquisition for the proposed National Institute of Technology (NIT) campus in Pulwama. Responding to questions about the displacement of people and the use of agricultural land for developmental projects, Abdullah emphasised the need to prioritise the use of unproductive land.
“We will ensure that productive agricultural land is not taken away. If people in Pulwama do not want the NIT campus, we will find another location where it will be welcomed with open arms,” Abdullah said, adding that the government aims to strike a balance between development and the preservation of farmland, in response to a question concerning the land acquisition.
Abdullah said that a delegation from Newa had approached him to express their reservations about the establishment of the institution in their area. He assured them that their concerns would be taken into account. “If the people of Newa are opposed to the project, we will relocate it to a place where it is accepted wholeheartedly,” he said.
The remarks highlight ongoing debates over land use and development in the region, with Abdullah underscoring the importance of community consent in such initiatives.
Newa (Pulwama) became the epicentre of a mass opposition against a possible takeover of 4,834 kanals (approximately 600 acres) of prime horticultural land for the establishment of a new campus for the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar. This vast piece of tableland is considered one of the last remaining fertile areas for growing almonds, a key agricultural product in the region.
On December 24, 2024, the office of Deputy Commissioner Pulwama issued an order to constitute a team of revenue officers to prepare the necessary documents for transferring the land. Official sources insist that the land is state-owned, but locals vehemently argue that they have been cultivating it for over a century, with their rights not being properly considered in the decision-making process.
Residents have called on the government to reconsider the acquisition and find alternative land for the project that does not jeopardise their livelihoods or the region’s ecological balance.
The media interaction, held under the banner “Engaging Perspectives,” was attended by senior government officials, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo, and Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, along with other cabinet members.
On the opposition’s allegation about a satellite colony being built, the chief minister said there is no such proposal on his table as he looks after the department.
“The people who are making most noise were the ones who talked about greater Jammu and Srinagar,” he said.
Abdullah, however, said townships will be built for decongesting the Srinagar city.
“It is for those people who want to move to the suburbs. There are four to five families living in one house in downtown (Srinagar),” he added.
