Campaign for Concrete Uttarakhand land act to protect its farm lands gain momentum

The issue of a consolidated ” Concrete Uttarakhand land Act” is expeditiously gaining ground in entire hilly state after the campaign gained tremendous momentum in social media.

Various social organizations and individuals including Congress and other opposition parties are now compelled to follow suit demanding the NEW “BHU KANOON, with senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat accusing the the BJP government for making amendments in the UP Zamindari n land abolition act adding sections adding sections 143 ( K) n 154 (2) , lifting the ceiling allowing outsiders to purchase unaccounted land more than 12.5 acres thus hurting the sentiments of the Uttarakhand’s inhabitants.

Not only this, but the entire land in Gairsain has been purchased by the affluents especially the outsiders says the Congress leader. Rawat said that Congress is fully in support of the pro people amendments in the land law as it favours that the agricultural lands of Uttarakhand should be protected at all costs.

However, there is no word of support to this demand from Bhartiya Janata Party.

Kindly recall that the assembly elections are due in the initial months of Uttarakhand in 2022. Initially the ruling political dispensation led by Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri raised the land purchasing limit for outsiders from 250 square yards to 500 square yards but in 2018 it opened doors for the industrialists and corporate houses by lifting the ceiling of 12.5 acres, hitting the sentiments of its people.

There had earlier been restrictions for land purchase for outsiders up to 250 square yards from 2002 to 2007, which was thereafter lifted to 500 square yards but after Trivendra Singh Rawat was appointed as Uttarakhand CM in 2017, he made amendments in the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari and land abolition act to appease the highly rich corporates by lifting the ceiling allowing unaccounted measure of land for industrialisation which was earlier restricted to 12.5 acres.

This literally hurt the emotions and sentiments of inhabitants of Uttarakhand, infusing in them a sense of insecurity adversely affecting their demography.

Recently a vedio posted in social media went viral in which it showed a vast tract of land of pitch green Meadows at the mountain top at BENITAL, GAIRSAIN, having been sold to a private party disenchanting the Uttarakhandies. The so called owner of this meadow namely Mr. Sareen had put up boards claiming to own it, saying that the Meadows have been sold or given by the British to them.

The people of Uttarakhand especially the youths are extremely exasperated in view of the vast tracts of the land being purchased by outsiders thus losing their culture, traditions, identity with the successive state governments literally doing nothing to protect the farm lands of the Uttarakhandies many of whom are out of the Himalayan state in search of better job prospects, quality education for their children and health facilities.

The people are demanding a strong land act in Uttarakhand on the pattern of Himachal Pradesh where outsiders are not allowed to purchase a single inch of land thus protecting it cultural traditional identity n ethos.

In several northern himalayan states a constitutional act 371 has be implemented which not only guarantees job prospects, special economic package and reservation in employment for the locals but also prohibits outsiders to buy land etc. The leader of Aam Admi Party Ajay Kothiyal reiterates the need for introduction of a concrete land act on the lines of Himachal Pradesh that strictly prohibits outsiders to buy not even a single inch of land in this hilly state. The section 118 A of the H.P. Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972 implemented during the then chief minister ship of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar who ruled till 1977 provides for restriction on transfer of land in favour of a person who is not an agriculturist of the State. However, the present chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has launched a portal for granting approvals to those who are desirous of buying land in Himachal Pradesh ensuring transparency. Section 118 A was introduced to safeguard the interests of farmers imposing restriction on sale n purchase of land in Himachal Pradesh who is not an agriculturist of the state.

According to a report, in the year 2002 a decision was taken that outsiders could not purchase land measuring more than 500 square yards. However, in the year 2007 this limit was further reduced to 250 square yards.

But in the year 2018 the situation took an awry turn when under the then CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, the BJP government got an ordinance passed which amended the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari abolition and land reforms act 1950 by adding section 143 (K ) and 154 (2) lifting the ceiling of 12.5 acres, allowing purchase of as much as land one can buy, obviously to ultra rich corporates, industrialists n even Money Launderors.