Illegal occupation of thousands of hectares of government, forest, and revenue land has emerged as one of the major causes of demographic change in Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reiterated that the eternal and sacred form of Devbhoomi will not be allowed to deteriorate under any circumstances, warning that bulldozers will move in if illegal settlers do not vacate encroached land voluntarily.
The concern over encroachment and changing demographics has intensified amid Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement that the Chief Minister of any state will not be decided by the Prime Minister or other state leaders.
According to local reports, the state’s four plain districts Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar—have seen a surge in illegal occupation of government and forest lands. These encroachments, allegedly protected by politically influential gram pradhans, district panchayat members, and MLAs, are rapidly altering the social fabric of several villages.
The government’s own surveys reveal that over 11,814 hectares of forest land have been illegally occupied, particularly along 23 rivers where mining activities take place. Until 2005, seasonal mining workers would return to their home states after the monsoon. However, during the Congress regime, these workers began settling permanently, constructing houses and expanding settlements with alleged political patronage.
The encroachments have now evolved into a parallel land-trading economy, and the settlements once temporary—are being cited as hubs of demographic imbalance and appeasement politics.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has repeatedly emphasised that protecting the sanctity of Devbhoomi’s rivers, forests, and pilgrimage sites is his government’s foremost duty. “Our Himalayas and Shivalik ranges are the abodes of our revered deities. We are committed to freeing every inch of government land from encroachment. It would be better if illegal occupants vacate on their own, otherwise, our bulldozers are ready,” Dhami declared.
The Chief Minister has issued strict instructions to all district magistrates to remove encroachments without bowing to political or social pressure. The state cabinet has also approved a proposal to bring in a stringent law against encroachers provisions include registering cases under the Indian Penal Code and imposing up to ten years of rigorous imprisonment for illegal occupation of land.
Despite the CM’s firm directives, officials admit that enforcement has been uneven. While the Forest Department has successfully cleared around 3,500 acres of land, approximately 8,000 hectares remain under illegal occupation. District administrations, particularly in the plains, have been accused of dragging their feet on eviction drives.
Some officers have reportedly stalled action citing the risk of controversy during their tenure. This bureaucratic inertia, coupled with local political interference, has made the encroachment problem more complex and deeply entrenched.
In Haridwar, thousands have illegally settled along the banks of the Ganga, while similar encroachments have been reported along the Gaula and Kosi rivers in Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts, and along the Tons, Yamuna, Rispana, Kalsi, Naura, and Amlava rivers in Dehradun. The police are currently verifying these settlements.
While encroachments on railway lands in Mussoorie and Lalkuan have been cleared, the Haldwani railway land dispute remains pending before the Supreme Court. Similarly, enemy property in Dehradun continues to be under illegal occupation, though the government recently reclaimed such property in Nainital. The total estimated value of encroached land and property is pegged at Rs 20,000 crore.
The Dhami government has announced its intent to enforce laws such as the Gangster Act and National Security Act (NSA) against encroachers, granting full authority to the police administration. However, implementation has lagged due to administrative delays and political considerations. The proposed ordinance, once enacted, is expected to empower authorities to act decisively against those illegally occupying government or private land.
