By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 18 Jul: Right under the eyes of the administration and the forest officials, encroachments on forest and government’s revenue land continue despite Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami‘s strict directions to prevent such encroachments and their illegal sale. A large number of such cases had come to light in Pachhwa Doon (western part of Dehradun district), in Haridwar, in particular, in Garhwal, and in Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar in Kumaon region. Such deals have been done on a large scale in Ramnagar (Nainital) too as per the latest reports. Another major effect of such encroachments and illegal sale of government and the forest land is that demography of the area is rapidly changing. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has on a number of occasions made it clear that deliberate efforts to change the demography of Uttarakhand will not be tolerated. However, such activities have continued, often in connivance with local revenue officials and the local administration and at the behest of political leaders.
Regarding the latest reports of large scale encroachment and illegal sale of the encroached land in Ramnagar, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has issued instructions to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an inquiry into the encroachments and illegal sale of this land by the mafia around the banks of Kosi River in Corbett City, Ramnagar.
It has been claimed by the locals that deliberate conspiracies have been hatched to turn ‘Ram Nagar into Rahmat Nagar’, especially in areas in and around Puchdi Basti on the banks of Kosi River. Here a large number of outsiders have encroached over 15 acres of government and forest land. They are engaged in selling the encroached land on stamp papers of denomination Rs 100 each. While without proper registration of land deals with the office of Sub Registrar is considered to be illegal, this sale is being done on a large scale in Ramnagar.
In view of the apprehensions and anguish of the local population in Ramnagar, CM Dhami has directed an SIT inquiry into the matter.
Earlier, a preliminary investigation was conducted on the orders of District Magistrate, Nainital, by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ramnagar when such complaints were received. On the basis of the report given by the SDM, forwarded by the DM, CM Dhami has ordered an SIT Inquiry in the case. Orders regarding constitution of Special Investigating Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the whole affair will be issued separately.
Sources claimed that shocking facts have come to the fore in the preliminary investigation report of the SDM. According to the report, 151 people have occupied the forest land of Terai Forest Division and Ramnagar Forest Division. They are buying and selling land on stamp papers illegally. Now the number of families settled here illegally has increased to 564. Most of those who have encroached the land concerned with an area of more than 15 acres are people from Rampur, Moradabad, Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh and belong to a particular community. Besides this, the inquiry has also revealed that some people from Udham Singh Nagar district, also belonging to that community have also encroached on the land in Ramnagar or have purchased land from the original encroachers from UP at very low rates on stamp papers of denomination Rs 50 and Rs 100. As the land is illegally encroached upon, no one has done proper registry of the land sale or purchase. In the report, it is further mentioned that that government land is being encroached through stamp papers in Damuwadunga, Kunwarpur Beat, Gola Terai, Bagjala, Gaulapar and Banbhulpura areas of Fatehpur Range of Haldwani Forest Division also.
It may be recalled that some months ago, a large number of illegally constructed Mazars had been demolished in forests of Pachhwa Doon, particularly in Sahaspur and Vikasnagar.
It is now being claimed by the Nainital District Administration that the government will conduct an SIT inquiry into the illegal purchase and sale of forest land in Puchdi of Ramnagar. Yesterday, on the recommendation of Nainital DM Vandana Singh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami approved the SIT investigation. Claims have been made by the locals that such encroachments are being done on a large scale for past several years but, since 2022, the illegal activity has increased sharply.
