BISWANATH: The Biswanath Unit of the All Assam Minority Students Union demanded that immediate action be taken regarding the frequent occurrences of land erosion in the Baghmara locality of the Biswanath district of the state.
Addressing a press conference in Biswanath the district unit of the student organisation mentioned that several localities in the region, including the Kumoliya, Julapara, and Panpur embankment have been facing serious concerns regarding the erosion of land on the banks by the Brahmaputra river. They mentioned that lakhs of hectares of land have been lost to the river over the years and more than 10000 people have lost their homes regarding the same.
Mentioning that only 93 families have been compensated by the state government in connection to the soil erosion, the representatives of the student body question why the government has not taken any action regarding the other families even though they have lost their land and homes and have been forced to stay in makeshift huts on the embankments. They also alleged that these families have not been given any documents by the authorities regarding their land-less status and no steps have been taken to relocate them to a safe location.
Regarding these developments, the AAMSU Biswanath Unit has presented its demands to the authorities as follows.
Firstly they mentioned that the government figures mention that about 42,135 bighas of land has been lost to the Brahmaputra river, but unofficial reports point out the erosion of around 5,00,000 bighas of land. Secondly, the government should demarcate the borders of the 6th addition to the Kaziranga. Thirdly, state records show the loss of 746 bigha 3 katha 16 lessa of myadi patta land lost to the river.
Fourthly, government records show 1347 families became landless, which the unofficial number is around 10,000 but it is unfortunate that only 93 families have been resettled by the government. So AAMSU demanded that all the families be given settlement by the government. Fifth they demanded that the people made landless because of floods or erosion be granted land immediately. Sixth, they demanded that the government pay compensation to the people owning the myadi patta for the 746 bigha 3 katha and 16 lessa land lost as per government records.
Seventh, they demanded permanent measures to protect the Panpur embankment from soil erosion. Eighth they demanded action for the permanent resolution of problems related to soil erosion in Silamari, Gohalibhanga and Bildubi. Next, they demanded that the departmental minister supervise the actions taken by himself and lastly, they demanded that soil erosion be declared as the major problem of the nation.
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