KP Loses 400,000 Hectares Of Farmland As Illegal Housing Schemes Spread

In 2017, the total cultivated agricultural land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood at 2.1 million hectares. It has now decreased by 400,000 hectares to 1.7 million hectares.

The Provincial Assembly's Standing Committee on Agriculture has submitted its detailed report to the government regarding illegal housing societies established on agricultural land.

The report includes district-wise data and briefings from relevant authorities.

According to the report, there are a total of 156 housing societies in Peshawar, of which 116 have been declared illegal.

Also Read:Special Sub-Committee Formed to Oversee Development and Security in KP's Conflict-Affected Areas

Among them, 81 societies were established on agricultural land, and operations have been carried out against several of them.

In Mardan district, there are 135 housing societies, 41 of which are illegal, while 27 were built on agricultural land.

Fines amounting to Rs112 million have been imposed on illegal housing societies in Mardan. The number of illegal societies stands at 71 in Charsadda and 14 in Kohat.

The report further states that during the committee's meetings, the Deputy Commissioners of Peshawar and Mardan, the Director General of the Building Control Authority, and the Secretary Agriculture gave detailed briefings.

The Standing Committee on Agriculture has recommended legislation to prevent the conversion of agricultural land into housing schemes and has proposed the formation of a special task force to protect agricultural land.

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