The Dehradun district administration has implemented proactive measures to restrict the sale and purchase of land exceeding 3000 bighas in compliance with the ceiling laws across various areas. This action aims to curb illicit activities and protect public interests as unscrupulous land mafias illegally subdivide and sell surplus land. The ban covers villages falling within the rural ceiling laws and ensures alignment between old and new parcel numbers. These decisive actions demonstrate the administration's commitment to upholding the rule of law and preserving land ownership integrity.
The Dehradun district administration recently implemented proactive measures to halt the sale and purchase of land exceeding 3000 bighas, invoking the ceiling laws in various areas such as Badowala, Mothrowala, Markham Grant, Chamasari, Majri Grant, and Aajuwala. Issued on July 12 by ADM Shiv Kumar Baranwal, this resolute measure seeks to suppress unlawful activities and protect the welfare of the public.
Officials have observed modifications in the land parcel numbering system, resulting in plot sizes in rural areas occasionally exceeding the prescribed ceiling limit of 18 acres. Unscrupulous land mafias have taken advantage of this discrepancy, illegally subdividing and selling off surplus land and encroaching upon state-owned property. As Vikesh Singh Negi, an advocate based in Dehradun who filed a complaint with the district administration, aptly highlighted, these practices not only result in revenue losses but also jeopardize the well-being of the public.
Baranwal clarifies that the ban specifically targets villages including Bharuwala Grant, Chamasari, Majri Grant, Enfield Grant, Badowala, Mothrowala, Timli, Aaduwala, Fatehpur, and Markham Grant, falling within the jurisdiction of rural ceiling laws. The ongoing illicit transactions orchestrated by land mafias blatantly contravene the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Imposition of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1960. Hence, the administration has taken firm action to put an immediate halt to these activities. To ensure seamless implementation, detailed instructions have been issued to SDM (rural) offices in Vikas Nagar, Rishikesh, Doiwala, and Dehradun, as well as sub-registrars, to meticulously align the old and new parcel numbers.
According to insider sources, the administration underscores the crucial importance of utilizing ceiling land solely for its designated purpose. They contemplate revising the current limit of 3000 bighas, taking into account substantiated evidence, with the possibility of extending these regulations to other areas grappling with similar unlawful practices. These resolute measures implemented by the Dehradun district administration demonstrate their unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding public interests, and curbing illegal activities prevalent in land transactions. Through these actions, they aim to maintain the integrity of land ownership and preserve the welfare of the community.
Bigha, a land measurement unit, had varying sizes before British rule. The British standardized it to approximately one-third of an acre in Bengal. Pucca and Kuccha are the two types of Bigha. Pucca Bigha is widely used for sizing plots and large land parcels, while Kuccha Bigha is used in rural areas for tenancy purposes. Bigha is commonly used in northern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, including Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.