DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is studying aspects of the land law of Himachal Pradesh to enact a similar legislation for preventing indiscriminate purchase and sale of land in the state. The state government has constituted a three-member committee that will submit its report, based on which a decision will be taken.
“We are studying the land law of Himachal Pradesh to take a cue from it. Recommendations of the committee will be balanced so that the rights of the local population are preserved without hampering development activities,” said retired IAS officer Subhash Kumar, who is the chairman of the committee.
The panel was set up after netizens and the youth of Uttarakhand started a movement demanding restrictions on purchase of land by outsiders in the hill state.
There is no prohibition on buying of a property by any individual or organisation within municipal limits and cantonment areas in the hill state. The buying of agricultural land over 250 sqaure meters outside the municipal limits is prohibited, but that limit can be relaxed by state government officials, including district magistrates. Outsiders buying agricultural land in Uttarakhand can be provided relaxation under tourism policy if they have a project that will generate jobs for locals and revenues for the state.
Movement for new land policy picking pace
The ‘Uttarakhand Mange Bhu-kanoon’ movement is slowly picking pace with artists and cartoonists joining and introducing innovative touches to the protest. The issue has also been picked up by the Congress and the Aam Admi Party, which has been trying hard to make inroads in the hill state.