Batten Settlement ignoring a couple of Issues

 Garhwal Land Settlements by J.H. Batten -2

                            British Administration in Garhwal   -24         

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -40

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -878

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

            It was difficult for drawing village maps and measuring area. Batten was unable for land settlement as per Regulation -9 polices. Batten informed that he could not complete land measurement before two years. Batten informed too that the expenditure for land measurement would be more than tax collection. Batten also reported that in the absence of measurement, there will be always conflicts among stakeholders. (Batten, Pauri report). British Government postponed measurement because of expenditure and time.  Government instructed Batten that it was not important for tax increment but a stable settlement system for next twenty years was more important.

 Till 1833, numbers of Patwari were very less in Garhwal. Patwaris did not have exact farming land records (Fardfant). Batten prepared Fardfant (records for farming land). With difficulties, Batten prepared ‘Halatnama’ (Present situation) for each village. Batten prepared land settlement from 1820 to 1840 and he included following issues into settlement records (Atkinson, page 292)-

1-Village name and details

2-Names of Padhan (Village Chiefs) from 1820-1840

3- A village under a real Thok. That work was difficult

4- When the village was transferred from one real Thok (Dakhila Mauja) to other real Thok

5- Tax collected from last 7 settlements each

 Batten put the villages under the real Thok (dakhila) as it was. He accepted separation for a village only when the majority favored the change.

 Batten, then instructed ‘Padhan’ for agreement for coming twenty years (beesi) with new records. Batten prepared policies too.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 18/8/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -879

*** History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun, (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli) Garhwal (1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

XX   

References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page 177-78

2-Batten (editor), 1851, Official reports on Province of Kumaon

3-Batten , 1843, Report on the settlement of the district of Pauri Garhwal in the province of Kumaon  56

4- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts vol.3, pages 292

Xx

History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;