Non-Himachalis Who Changed Land Use Without Government Approval To Face The Heat

Non-Himachalis, who have bought land in the state under the exemption granted by Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reform Act, will now have to seek fresh permissions for changing the land use from residential to commercial or any other purpose, The Tribune has reported.

Financial Commissioner (Appeals), Sanjay Gupta passed the order on 12 November, upholding an earlier order, while hearing a case where the land use of a property bought in Kangra was changed to commercial (guest house) without prior government permission.

Earlier, an order vesting land in question and the structure built over it in favour of the government was passed by the Kangra Deputy Commissioner and the Divisional Commissioner.

The order called for identifying those violators who changed land use without government approval.

“A special drive be launched to detect such cases in which non-agriculturists have purchased land in the state for residential purpose and after raising huge structures, they are using these for commercial purposes by renting them out to others,” stated the order.

“Some of these properties have also been converted into guest houses without seeking fresh approval of the government for change of land use,” said the order.

Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) has been directed to pass the order further to all deputy commissioners for detecting violators under the act in their respective districts.