ON DECEMBER 24, 2023, thousands of people gathered in Uttarakhand’s winter capital, Dehradun, to pressurise the government to enact strict land laws, aiming to halt the large-scale sale of agricultural land to individuals from other states. The protestors, organised under the banner Mool Niwas Bhu Kanoon Samanway Sangharsh Committee, assert that since the state’s formation in 2000, governments have relaxed rules to attract outside investment. According to them, this approach has deprived Uttarakhand residents of their land, culture and identity.
In the days following the protests, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami imposed an interim ban on the purchase of new agricultural land by outsiders and is now awaiting the report of an ongoing Law Land Committee to determine further steps.
Chandrashekhar Kargeti, a lawyer with the Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital, points out that Uttarakhand is the only Himalayan state that allows the sale of agricultural land to outsiders. This poses a significant problem, given that only 14 per cent of the state’s geographical area is designated as agricultural land, Kargeti says. “The land records for the region were last updated in the 1960s. Since then, extensive agricultural land has been repurposed for nonagricultural activities such as road construction and industries. The state government does not even have the details on the extent of agricultural land lost over the past 60 years,” says Dehradun-based historian Shekhar Pathak.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
