Local governments are the main culprits behind illegal land
acquisition, a senior official yesterday.
Zhang Xinbao, director of the Land Enforcement and Supervision
Department of the Ministry of Land and Resources, slammed local
governments for their illicit land grabs, blaming it on an
obsession for investment.
At the press conference, 16 cases were selected from the several
thousand occurring every year. Three types of illegal land grabs
were described.
First, was "replacing land requisition with leasing", a way of
circumventing the approval process and acquiring collective
farmland for non-agricultural constructions. Second, arbitrary
violation of the land use master plan and third, starting
construction without getting land use approval.
In total, 546 hectares of land were involved, including 214
hectares of arable land. The 43 cadres involved received either
Party disciplinary or administrative penalties. Four cases have
already been referred for judicial prosecution.
"The same thing happens again and again, in one place or
another," Zhang said.
"Local leaders, oblivious of the overall land planning
situation, have started projects, leaving the land problem to the
local land and resources bureau."
"Many illegal land acquisition cases were caused this way, as
local governments have to find land for the projects brought to the
table by their leaders," he said.
Land acquisition violators tend to be dealt with too leniently,
Zhang said.
"After all, these leaders are acting in the interests of local
development."
The country is trying to keep its diminishing arable land bank
above 1.2 billion hectares to ensure food security.
In the latest effort to combat illegal land acquisition, the
ministry has kicked off a nationwide campaign of enforcement, until
the end of the year.
"It is an uphill battle," Zhang said, "We will expose more cases
during the coming days."
(China Daily September 28, 2007)
