How does one reverse the trend of conversion of agriculture land for non-agricultural purposes? This is a question that has bothered planners, administrators and concerned citizens alike. There is no easy answer available. Laws to curb the practice have proved inadequate almost all over. Growing urbanisation has played havoc. The people want to work in cities and take up white-collar jobs with assured regular monthly income. Once they move out of their rural habitats they need houses to stay and offices to work. How do they get these amenities except by exploiting the available land? It has also to be admitted that not many young persons are keen on tilling the fields. This is true of a large number of traditionally farming families as well. How long can they go on depending upon the vagaries of the weather and scare irrigation facilities when the alternative employment avenues are on hand? Why should not they put their crop-growing soil to a better use? At one level, therefore, there is a convergence of interests. There are buyers ready to pay a price and the sellers wanting to part with an asset of which they have little utility in view of their altered preferences. This is different from distress transactions that do take place at times and may or may not be a part of any plan to transform the land profile. There is a genuine demand and supply phenomenon. It becomes a problem when there is a big gap between the two. The situation in turn comes in handy for land mafias to step in and exploit by swallowing as much of the territory as possible and then pushing up its prices. There are unlawful encroachments too which are sought to be regularised through a corrupt system. Not very long ago we had a report in this newspaper that even a big chunk of the forest land has been misutilised in the State. Who says that the green gold is a holy cow in the present age of environmental consciousness?