WHAT IS LAND?

Whenever we talk about land, we try to think of it in terms of a resource over which we can claim our rights 'to' and 'over' the property.

- DR. GAURIKA CHUGH

Whenever we talk about land, we try to think of it in terms of a resource over which we can claim our rights 'to' and 'over' the property. Other than claiming our rights over land, which gives us a sense of power, prestige, and an identity to showcase to society, the extent of land we own is synonymous with our wealth and status in society. Land has also been exploited for development. GDP-centric economic growth has exploited land to build skyscrapers, capital-intensive infrastructure, dams, hydropower projects, ports, airports, and highways.

The Collins dictionary defines land as 'an area of ground, especially one that is used for a particular purpose such as farming or building'. This definition is extremely myopic in its understanding of land and diminishes the utilization of land as a commodity or resource whose systematic use is essential to fulfill the public purpose of food security and for building infrastructure, which is important for the survival of the human race.