Cong demands high level probe into land deals in U’khand
By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 22 Jun: Uttarakhand Congress today held a rally and a protest march in Dehradun, led by Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Ganesh Godiyal and other senior party leaders, and demanded a high-level and impartial investigation into land allotments, transfers of government land, changes in land use and various land scams that have taken place in the state over the past decade. Manglaur MLA and Congress National Secretary Qazi Nizamuddin was also present on the occasion and he too addressed the party workers making serious allegations against the government.
Addressing the rally, Ganesh Godiyal emphasised that, in a hill state like Uttarakhand with limited geographical resources, the protection of land and natural wealth should remain the highest priority for the government. Godiyal alleged that several land-related cases in recent years in the state have raised serious questions over governance and administrative functioning. He cited the 2025 Haridwar Municipal Corporation land purchase case, where irregularities were confirmed during investigation and action was taken against officials, as an example of the need for transparency and accountability in land matters. He also claimed that valuable land recorded in the names of private individuals and government departments has been misused, transferred against rules and exploited for private interests during past 10 years. He referred to the controversial allotment of land in Mussoorie’s George Everest area, the transfer of nearly 180 acres of land belonging to the Jal Vidyut Nigam in Dakpathar, and allegations of government land in Ramgarh, Nainital, being handed over to private parties.
He also raised concerns over the ‘land bank’ being developed by the Uttarakhand Investment and Infrastructure Development Board and claimed that the collection of land from departments such as revenue, tourism, horticulture, agriculture, SIDCUL and energy corporations has created apprehensions among the public that these resources could be diverted for private interests in the future. He added that the grazing and community lands traditionally used by local pastoralists and rural communities were under threat, with villagers in Pratapnagar, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Nainital and other districts struggling to protect their customary and Panchayati lands, often forced to make repeated rounds of courts and government offices.
Godiyal warned that, if impartial investigations are not conducted in time, the state may face a land crisis, environmental imbalance and social unrest. He said the Congress party is placing five major demands including a high-level probe into all major land allotments, purchases, transfers and land use changes of the past ten years, constitution of an independent commission to review departmental land transfers and allotments to private institutions; identification of illegal encroachments and suspicious transfers of government land with strict action against the guilt, suspension of disputed allotments and transfers until investigations are complete and formulation of a clear and stringent policy for the protection of the community, the panchayati and the grazing lands.
The PCC chief also announced that the Congress would soon meet the Governor to seek his intervention and ensure the protection of the state’s land resources. He asserted that the party would not allow any compromise on Uttarakhand’s jal, jungle and zameen and would continue to fight for the interests of the people.
The protest was attended by national secretary and MLA Qazi Nizamuddin, Furkan Ahmad, Lakhpat Butola, Birendra Jati, general secretary Rajendra Bhanri, vice president Suryakant Dhasmana, general secretary Godavari Thapli, Rajendra Shah, former MLA Rajkumar, Garima Mehra Dasaoni, national spokesperson Alok Sharma, Abhinav Thapar, district presidents, state women’s president Jyoti Rautela, NSUI president Vikas Negi, Amendra Singh Bisht, Mohit Uniyal, Lalchand Sharma, Upendra Thapli and a large number of party workers.
