Dehradun: The land, purchased by film actor Manoj Bajpayee in Uttarakhand’s Almora district, has come under scanner. With the Uttarakhand government planning to introduce a new law to protect the agricultural land from acquisition by “outsiders”, the state administration has launched a drive to identify those who purchased land in the state in defiance of the provisions of the land laws of the state.
As per the media reports, Almora district administration has traced several cases in which lands were purchased allegedly in defiance with the local laws.
The film actor purchased land in Kapkot village of Almora district in 2021
The actor Bajpayee had purchased approximately 15 Nalis (one nali is equal to 2160 square feet) of land in Kapkot village of Uttarakhand in the year 2021. Bajpayee had also got required permission from the authorities concerned for purchasing this piece of land.
Bajpayee was supposed to develop a meditation and yoga centre within two years of the purchase of the land
According to A K Pandey, district magistrate, Almora, the land was purchased with an aim to develop a meditation and yoga centre. Bajpayee was supposed to develop a meditation and yoga centre within two years of purchase of the land. However, no construction work could take place till now. In Uttarakhand, one can purchase land with a special purpose. Sources said the district administration may give a chance to the actor to start the construction work of the proposed meditation and yoga centre.
Chief secretary has given instructions to initiate actions
Recently, chief secretary Radha Raturi held a video-conferencing meeting with all the district magistrates (DMs) of the 13 districts in the hill state and asked them to initiate actions against those who purchased land in the state in defiance of the provisions of the land laws of the state. She asked the DMs to ensure actions under the section 166/167 of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reformation Act (ZALR Act) against all such persons who defied land-laws of the state.
A close eye on the lands purchased with special purpose
Chief secretary Raturi has also given instructions to all the DMs that the latter should keep a close eye on the land which are purchased with the special purpose. Her instructions are very clear that if the land purchased with special purpose is not being used for the same, it must be identified.
