Proposal to Relax Section 118 of Land Reforms Act Sparks Opposition in Kullu-Manali Region

A proposal by the Himachal Pradesh government to relax provisions under Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, has triggered widespread concern among local communities, particularly in the Kullu-Manali region. Residents and local organizations fear the move could pave the way for wealthy outsiders to acquire agricultural land, pushing small and marginal farmers into economic distress.

Strongly opposing the proposed relaxation, Kullu-Manali Tourism Development Council President Anoop Thakur said the decision would harm the interests of the state’s poor and rural population. “The idea of relaxing Section 118 goes completely against the interests of ordinary people in Himachal Pradesh,” he said. “It will open the door for affluent outsiders to buy agricultural land, leaving local farmers and small landholders deprived of their livelihood and ancestral property.”

Thakur urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to drop the proposal in order to protect Himachal Pradesh’s agrarian identity and cultural heritage. “The Chief Minister comes from a humble background and understands the struggles of ordinary citizens,” he said. “We hope he will take our appeal seriously.”

Himachal Pradesh Travel Agents Association President Buddhi Prakash also warned that implementing the proposal would have severe repercussions for regions like Kullu and Manali. “Poor and rural residents will lose their small landholdings, leading to social and economic imbalance,” he cautioned.

He added, “Residents of Himachal are not allowed to buy land in tribal districts like Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. If the government is considering relaxing Section 118 to allow outsiders to purchase land in Himachal, it should first amend the law to permit Himachalis to buy land in these tribal regions.”

Prakash further stressed that “it is high time to impose a ban on all forms of commercial construction to preserve ecological balance and prevent future natural disasters. The state is already overburdened by unchecked commercial activity. If restrictions are eased, outsiders will buy land for large-scale construction projects. The government must avoid amending Section 118 merely to benefit non-residents in the name of development.”

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has also criticized the government’s move to alter Section 118 of the Land Reforms Act.