As Kedarnath assembly bypoll comes close and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured to bring in strong land law in the state, main opposition Congress party on Saturday charged that he made 11 amendments in the existing land law to help outsiders buy large agri-land in Uttarakhand.

Congress alleged that 142 acres land of renowned tourist site George Everest in Mussoorie was handed out to a private firm registered as MSME hardly three years back.

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Former Kedarnath MLA and Congress party leader Manoj Rawat attacked Dhami government and charged that its promise to bring in strong state centric land law is mere making a good face in the public.

Rawat, a strong ticket contender for Kedarnath bypoll alleged that Dhami government’s actions have always been contrary to what it speaks for.
BJP led state governments have made 11 blatant amendments in sections 143 and 154 of Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reform Act 1950, adopted by Uttarakhand in 2000, to help high and rich people from other parts of the country to buy land anywhere, specially in the hills of Uttarakhand.

“Frequent and intentional amendments in sections 143, ristricting buying of agricultural land and 154 that deals with land usage change from agricultural to non agricultural, made Uttarakhand lone Himalayan state in the country to allow purchase of unlimited agricultural land in the hill areas. This paved easy way for Dhami government to lease out 142 acres of Park Estate land to a compamy Rajas Aerospace and Adventures Private Limited for operation, management and development of aerosports and other tourism related activities at George Everest Estate in Mussoorie.

“The land with market value of nearly 20,000 crore was given away at throw away price of mere one crore per annum with three percent increment. This would not have been possible had Dhami and other BJP governments not ammended land laws according to the wishes of rich buyers” alleged Rawat.

“State tourism department deliberately framed a tender to help Aerospace and Adventures Private Limited get Mussoorie land easily. It was well crafted tender process as other participants had same account book maintaining addresses” alleged Rawat as he provided the papers for the same.

Dhami government in 2022 quashed the provision made by his predecessor Trivendra Singh Rawat regime in 2018 for taking back the allotted land if not used for intended business within two years.

Now anyone not only from within the country but also Pakistan, Afghanistan and other parts of world can buy land in Uttarakhand in the grab of industrial activities, added the Congress leader.

Former cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat too alleged that BJP led state government in Uttarakhand has cheated the people on land law and changed existing laws to help rich buyers from other parts of the country to purchase unlimited agricultural holdings in the name of setting industries in the hills.

“Present Uttarakhand government is neck deep involved in embezzlement of agricultural land in Haridwar, Mussoorie hills, Pauri and other parts of the state. They have given away all prime government lands to big buyers from outside the state. They are cheating people of Uttarakhand.”