By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN/RAMNAGAR, 2 Aug: The Uttarakhand government on Saturday carried out the demolition of three illegally constructed Mazars in Ramnagar in Nainital district, reinforcing its ongoing campaign against unauthorised religious structures built on government land. These structures, located in the Dhikuli and Dhela areas, were razed following administrative notices issued two weeks earlier. To ensure public order during the operation, a heavy deployment of police personnel was ensured in advance.
Sources confirm that the demolished Mazars were situated inside resort premises and were built without any legal sanction. No human remains got unearthed in the razed structures. The demolition was executed by a joint team comprising Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pramod Kumar, revenue officials, representatives from the Forest Department, and personnel from the local police station. According to Pramod Kumar, two of the illegal mazars were located in Dhela, while the third was inside a resort in Dhikuli. These structures were found to have encroached upon land without requisite permissions.
The administration has reiterated its commitment to strict enforcement against any future encroachments, with the SDM stating that action would continue against illegal constructions found within the jurisdiction. He acknowledged receiving long-standing complaints regarding unauthorised religious structures in the region, which are being investigated systematically. Whenever irregularities are established, prompt action is being taken to remove such constructions.
The demolition drive aligns with the directives issued by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has mandated strict scrutiny of illegal religious sites, including unauthorised mosques and mazars. The verification of such structures has been underway for several months, and wherever discrepancies are identified, demolitions are being carried out. Furthermore, the Chief Minister has called for investigations into the sources of funding for these illegal constructions.
According to available information, the anti-encroachment campaign resumed in full force after the conclusion of panchayat elections. Chief Minister Dhami recently reaffirmed that the crackdown on encroachments over government land has remained consistent. In this context, two illegal Mazars were demolished in Ramnagar, with no remains discovered beneath the structures, which were solidly constructed using cement. An unauthorised Mazar located within a government school was also demolished during the current drive. Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Vivek Rai confirmed that the demolitions followed prior administrative notices and, in one instance, proceeded with the consent of the resort owner.
It may be recalled that so far, the Dhami-led government has removed 541 illegally built Mazars from government lands across Uttarakhand. Significantly, no human remains have been found beneath any of the demolished structures. The campaign has also resulted in the recovery of over 7,000 acres of government land previously under illegal occupation. The drive has intensified in key districts such as Haridwar, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar, marking a renewed push for lawful land utilisation.
