U'khand govt to introduce an ordinance to tighten laws for buying land

The Uttarakhand government will soon introduce an ordinance to tighten the laws for buying land in the state to prevent people with criminal antecedents from making such purchases, sources said on Friday.

According to the proposed ordinance, the background of prospective buyers and their purpose of making the purchase will be thoroughly examined before they are permitted to do so.

However, there is no clarity yet on whether the ordinance will apply only to prospective land buyers from outside Uttarakhand or those from within the state too.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has moved a proposal on the matter at a Cabinet meeting here recently and was authorised by the ministers to bring such an ordinance, official sources said.

The move comes close on the heels of Dhami expressing concern over "land jihad" in Uttarakhand.

At a function in Kaladhungi in Nainital district last month the chief minister claimed that more than 1,000 acres of land have been "grabbed" in the state under