For the last many years, lots and lots of Uttrakhand land is being sold to people from other states who are either buying it for their farmhouse or resthouses, which generally they use for few weeks in a year or so. Many people from other states have decided to settle in Uttarakhand permanently cause of very attractive land prices and a clean, pollution-free healthy environment. This has created a land scarcity in most parts of Uttarakhand, and youth are forced to leave their state to work outside and earn for their family.
“On the lines of Himachal Pradesh, the demand for land law in Uttarakhand has also intensified. District Panchayat member Supi Ramgarh Kamlesh Singh Bisht has sent a letter to Chief Minister Uttarakhand through District Officer Nainital. It is said that people from outside are doing unaccounted buying and selling of land in the hilly and plain areas of the district. At the same time, due to the unaccounted purchase of land, serious problems may arise in the mountain in future. For which the government needs to make strict laws. On the lines of Himachal Pradesh, a person in Uttarakhand can give agricultural land on lease only. Due to which the land of the farmer will be safe.”
In the election year, the youth of Uttarakhand have started a campaign demanding a strong land law to save the agricultural land being sold at throwaway prices. The demand for land law has been trending on all social media platforms for the past two days. Its heat has now started reaching the political parties active in the state as well. Just before the assembly elections, the issue of land law has suddenly heated up in the state. This time the common youth are united in favour of this law. For the past two days, youths are campaigning vigorously to support the land law on all social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. In this, folk songs, animations and posters are being resorted to.
Pankaj Jeena of Nainital, who works for Radio, has released a video on Instagram supporting the land law. On Instagram, the Garh Kumaon organization made frequent posts supporting the land law on Tuesday afternoon. According to the youth Saurabh Gunsai, originally a resident of Gauchar, this time, most of the common youth have started this campaign. There is no political thinking behind the campaign, but the political parties will have to clear their stand on this issue. According to Ratan Singh Aswal, convener of the Palayan Ek Chintan Abhiyan (पलायन एक चिंतन अभियान), many people of the same family have bought different lands by taking the flaw of the current law. Due to this, people from outside the state have started taking possession of agricultural land, even in the remote mountains.
Appeal to give a symbolic picket in support
Many people have appealed for a 15-minute symbolic dharna in their homes on July 1 to support the land law through social media platforms. According to Kapil Doval, who is running the movement on the demand of consolidation, self-employment has not got so much importance in our society. Still, future generations will definitely think in this direction. They need to save the land. Doval appealed to all the people to hold a symbolic dharna at their homes on July 1.
The cultivable land in Uttarakhand should be protected. Congress not only supports the land law but is also in favour of the land reform law. The BJP government has weakened the spirit of Uttarakhandiyat by making changes in the land law in the year 2020. Due to this, outsiders have bought land up to Gairsain.