HC directs State, Forest Dept & Railways to probe and submit report on illegal land sale in Haldwani
Tuesday, 05 December 2023 | PNS | NAINITAL
The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the State government, Forest department and Railways to investigate within 10 days and submit a report on allegations of forest, railway and revenue lands being sold by elements of the land mafia in Haldwani. The bench of acting chief justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and justice Vivek Bharti Sharma issued this direction while hearing a public interest litigation against the alleged sale of forest, railway and revenue lands in Haldwani being sold by members of the land mafia using Rs 100 and Rs 500 stamp papers. The matter will be taken up for hearing next on December 22.
In the past, the court had directed the petitioner to submit proof of the alleged illegal sale of land and the same were presented in the court by the petitioner on Monday. The petitioner also requested the court for security, citing risk to his life and property. The court verbally directed the police station house officer concerned to ensure that the petitioner does not face any danger as the issue is related to public interest.
Haldwani resident Hitesh Pandey had filed the PIL stating that in Haldwani, railway land in Gafoor Basti along with forest and revenue lands in Gaulapar Gaujajali have been sold by the land mafia. He has stated that the lands have been sold to persons who are not domicile residents of Uttarakhand but had come to the State for employment. After a short period, the voter identification cards of these people were also made in the common service centre. Pandey stated that when he complained about this to the administration and on the chief minister’s portal, members of the land mafia issued threats to him. The petitioner has further contended that the State government is spending crores of rupees to provide electricity and water connections along with school and medical facilities to such people considering them votebanks. The natives of the State are bearing the repercussions of such spending on the people who have bought land from the mafia. The natives are also unable to derive the benefits of the government schemes due to this, the petitioner has contended. The administration is misusing government money, Pandey added while also requesting that the matter be investigated by a high level committee.
