Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 22 (ANI): Under the leadership of Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Ganesh Godiyal, the Congress party on Monday staged a protest march from the PCC headquarters to the State Secretariat.
During the demonstration, Godiyal demanded a high-level and impartial probe into land allotments, transfers of government land, changes in land-use patterns, and various alleged land scams that have taken place in the state over the past decade. He stated that in a hill state like Uttarakhand, which has limited geographical resources, the protection of land and natural assets must remain the highest priority.
He said that several land-related cases that have surfaced in recent years have raised serious questions about the functioning of the administration and the safeguarding of public resources.
Referring to the Haridwar Municipal Corporation land purchase case of 2025, Godiyal noted that investigations had confirmed irregularities and led to action against several officials. He said the case highlighted the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in land-related matters.
The UPCC chief further alleged that numerous instances had emerged across different districts involving valuable land registered in the names of private individuals and government departments being misappropriated, transferred in violation of rules, or used for private interests.
He also raised concerns over the allotment of land in the George Everest area of Mussoorie. According to him, the transfer of nearly 180 acres of land belonging to the Hydroelectric Corporation in the Dakpathar region has also remained controversial. Allegations regarding government land being handed over to private entities in the Ramgarh area of Nainital district have similarly come to light.
Godiyal said that the “Land Bank” being developed through the Uttarakhand Infrastructure and Investment Development Board (UIIDB) has also generated apprehensions among the public. He claimed that concerns exist over the possibility of land belonging to revenue, tourism, horticulture, agriculture, SIDCUL, and energy departments being consolidated and potentially utilised for private interests in the future.
He further stated that grazing lands and community lands traditionally used by local pastoralists and rural communities in the hill regions are also under threat. In districts including Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Nainital, and particularly Pratapnagar, villagers are struggling to protect their traditional and panchayat lands and are being compelled to seek relief through courts and government offices.
The Congress leader warned that if these issues are not investigated impartially in time, the state could face serious challenges in the future, including land scarcity, environmental imbalance, and social unrest.
Godiyal asserted that the Congress party would continue to raise the issue of protecting Uttarakhand’s natural resources and public sentiments. He said a Congress delegation would soon meet the Governor and seek intervention in the matter, urging necessary action to safeguard the state’s land resources.
He reiterated that the Congress would not allow any compromise on Uttarakhand’s water, forests, and land and would continue its struggle to protect the interests of the people. (ANI)
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