Farmers' collective effort needed for agrarian reforms : Iyer

Kochi, Dec 22 (UNI) Former Supreme Court Judge V R Krishna Iyer today said agrarian reforms should be brought forward by the collective effort of farmers rather than by enactment.

Speaking at a function in which the Justice Krishna Iyer Human Rights Award 2006 was presented to Founder of Women's Initiative Network (WIN) Sister Alice Lukose by noted jurist and human rights activist Rajindar Sachar here, he said the collective efforts of villagers and farmers can bring in propserity and usher in '' free villages''.

Praising the initiatives of Sister Alice and WIN, Justice Iyer said the country needs more people like her to 'realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi's Swaraj'.

He said privatisation and liberalisation were not good and also referred to the recent disinvestment in Maruti Udyog Limited.

Receiving the award Sister Alice said, '' I am really honoured to receive an award in the name of Justice Krishna Iyer and noted that the award has given her the reponsibility to perform better in her societal works.'' The award was given to Sister Alice by the Justice Krishna Iyer Human Rights Foundation, for giving a new lease of life to over 12,000 families in Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts through empowerment of the women and children of fishermen's families.

Chief Justice of Haryana and Punjab High Court Vijender Jain, constitutional expert P P Rao and others were present on the occasion.

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