During its special antiencroachment campaign across the state, the Uttarakhand administration has razed illegally built 27 temples and 200 tombs from forest land, officials familiar with the development said on Sunday, adding that 56 hectares of forest land have been freed so far in the ongoing drive.

“Work is underway to identify encroachments on forest land.” So far, we have demolished 227 unlawfully constructed religious structures from state forest property, including 200 mazaars and 27 temples,” said Parag Madhukar Dhakate, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and special secretary to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. “There are numerous types of encroachments on forest land, such as hutments, resorts, and residences, among other things.”

On April 19, Dhakate was assigned as the nodal officer for discovering and eliminating unlawful encroachments on forest land, particularly those disguised as religious and other activities.

According to senior sources acquainted with the topic, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttarakhand administration is also going to pass an ordinance prohibiting those with criminal records from purchasing land in the hill state.

Chief Minister Dhami stated last week that the state government will perform background checks on those planning to buy land in the state. “Before now, land in the state was purchased without a background checks .” Now, the same will be permitted after a background check of the buyers to determine why they want to acquire land in the state, why they want to come to the state, and why they want to live here’, Dhami told reporters following the cabinet meeting on May 3.

The chief minister had previously stated his intention to take severe measures against illegal religious incursion while also expressing concern about “demographic shifts” in the state. Dhami stated on April 10 that the state administration will not tolerate “land jihad” in the state, adding that the state government has “identified around 1,000 areas where mazaars (tombs) and other structures have been illegally built.”

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