Best of
myself - 2
Having
revealed in the previous post, the necessity to maintain a close bond with our
ancestral roots, let me introduce today on outcome learnt of a system called
'Guthge' a word of mouth lease practiced since long time in and around my
village at Gokarna, Karnataka state.
Introduction:
A lease may
be made either by writing or by word of mouth - from ‘The Law Dictionary:
Defining and Interpreting the Terms of Words of Art and Explaining the Rise,
Progress and Present State of the English Law, Volume 2’ by Thomas-Edlyne
Tomlins (1762–1841) an English legal writer. The book helps deduce the fact
that such lease agreements more so the latter, may have been defined as above
for the then existing practices more than one century back which is alive even
today as is strongly evident from the on-going such practices followed in
Independent India and extended to house property and/or agricultural land too.
The word ‘Guthge’ is a commonly used slang for such word of mouth lease in the
parts of Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka state.
What is
Guthge?
It is an
agreement for one year, worked out between the entrepreneur and the owner of
the agricultural land. The arrangement arrived comprises of the entrepreneur
taking possession of the said agricultural land after verifying all the
possibilities for its sustained fertility and through its proper upkeep either
by self or through employed labour enjoy the monetary benefits via. appropriate
disposal of the agricultural output thus obtained from the agricultural land to
the market either in defined time intervals for the one year period i.e. either
monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, etc. as deemed to be correct or directly at
the end of one year but on a down payment made to the owner through much
deliberations and bargaining at the very beginning of the agreement i.e. prior
to availing the, to be or would be accrued monetary benefits. This means that
the entrepreneur stands to lose heavily if his business plans go awry and/or on
account of unpredictable climatic conditions. The latter becoming more
prominent world over and this also being the main reason in addition to the
growing nuisance of agriculture borne diseases, lack of household support due
to migration issues, lack of time management in the family, etc. that the
owner’s agree to lease their land to such ‘Guthge’ takers. However, in case of
a good harvest, the entrepreneur stands to gain considerably even after
deducting the prior investments made. Being a word of mouth lease, a strong
commitment and faith in each other from both the parties is expected towards
only the upkeep of the agricultural land and the related activities thereof
till the end of the year that ensures either an amicable termination of the
same or renewal.
Benefits;
1.
Entrepreneur generates employment avenues to manage a large number of such
lease undertakings via. organised labour, contracting ancillary/support units,
etc.
2.
Entrepreneur through his intervention promotes green environment protection as
otherwise the unmanaged agricultural land would cease to remain so even in
title and be prone in the long run to uses for non – agricultural purpose.
3.
Entrepreneur may be encouraged to undertake parallel waste management ventures
too as the said agricultural output are always of two types viz. the product
and by – products (wastes).
4.
Entrepreneurs in urban areas and cities may seek opportunities in housing
societies/offices that have such flower gardens, coconut plantations and other
such possible to obtain agricultural outputs and reap the same benefits as in
points 1., 2. & 3 above.
That is all
for today’s post. Hope it was informative as regards to such old customs that
thrive on faith and understanding?
More about
myself in the next post......................................
