Outsiders owning land in Uttarakhand will not be able to sell it easily. The Pushkar Singh Dhami government has appealed to the people of Uttarakhand to refrain from buying properties from non-natives.

The Uttarakhand Revenue Department on Tuesday warned non-Uttarakhand residents against selling their properties to locals if the land was purchased by them in even the slightest contravention of the state’s land law.

“The government is consistently getting information that people from outside the state, who had earlier bought land in violation of the state’s land laws, are now attempting to resell these properties to the natives. Therefore, an appeal has been made to locals not to engage in any land deal with such people under any circumstances. This will help them avoid future financial losses and prevent getting trapped in legal wranglings” read a statement issued by the Uttarakhand Additional Secretary, Revenue.

The Additional Secretary’s statement stated that continuous efforts are being made by district administrations across the state to identify and take action against people from other states who have bought land in the Himalayan state in violation of the Uttarakhand land laws. According to the Additional Secretary, Revenue, a large number of cases have come to light involving outsiders buying land illegally from natives in Uttarakhand. The administration has made it clear that no person found guilty of cheating locals or violating the state’s land laws will be spared.

The Additional Secretary further clarified that strict action will be taken against individuals from outside the state who have purchased land in violation of land laws, in accordance with the law. “Even if individuals from outside the state manage to successfully land deals with locals, they cannot escape action for violating land laws. Legal action will be taken against them,” the statement stressed. “District Magistrates have been directed to remain vigilant during the registration of lands by buyers and sellers to identify those involved in violating the state’s land laws and causing financial losses to locals.”