Guwahati: Only making tribal belts and blocks in Sonapur encroachment-free will not solve the problem faced by people in 47 such stretches of ‘protected’ lands, which are being encroached upon. Making all such tribal belts and blocks in Assam free from unwarranted encroachment is the demand raised by the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organization of Assam (CCTOA), an umbrella organization of tribal associations in the state.
Speaking to The Sentinel, chief coordinator of CCTOA, Aditya Khakhlari, said, “At the very outset, I would like to thank the state government for carrying out an anti-encroachment drive in the tribal lands in Sonapur. The Gauhati High Court had also earlier issued an order, in a public interest litigation filed by Prodyut Kumar Borah (PIL78/2012), to the state government and all DCs to make tribal belts and blocks in the state free from encroachment. This has facilitated the drive to free tribal lands from encroachment. Throughout Assam, we have 47 tribal belts and blocks, of which 30 are blocks and 17 belts. Encroachment is rife in land measuring over 5 lakh bighas, out of the total land area of 85,80,342 bighas spread across all such tribal belts and blocks. Many encroachers are people of doubtful origin, and the rest are people from the non-protected classes. The protected people are SCs, STs, Santhals, ex-tea workers, the Jogi community of Middle Assam, Koch-Rajbongshis from undivided Goalpara district, and Nepali cow rearers-farmers. It was to provide protection to these classes of people that the tenth chapter was included in 1947 in the Assam Land and Revenue Act 1886, leading to the formation of tribal belts and blocks. According to the Act, these lands can only be bought or sold by people from the protected classes, and no one will be allowed to rent out or give on lease land to non-protected people. The Act also states that encroachment in tribal lands is prohibited, but the reality is that the Act is being flouted by these non-protected people and the protected land is being encroached on.”
On the subject of encroachment, Khaklari said, “1100 bighas of land is encroached upon in the South Kamrup Tribal Belt in the Sonapur area. He alleged that a concerted attempt has been made by suspected migrants from Dhubri, Barpeta, Goalpara, Hojai, Dhing, etc. to encroach tribal lands in areas like Sonapur pathar, Kosutoli pathar, and Gomoria pathar. They came in big numbers on boats when the rainy season is on and with tractors at other times. It is said they bring tin sheets and saplings of coconut and banana trees, which they plant overnight while also constructing their living quarters. They build it in such a way that it seems the house has been standing on the spot for 20 years or more; they are adept at deception. The eviction drive was proceeding smoothly for more than two days, and many people were leaving the place after they received instructions from the administration to evict the place. But the incident of some elements in political and students’ organizations instigating the encroachers led to them collectively assaulting some administration and police personnel, injuring several. The perpetrators should be brought to book immediately,” stressed Khakhlari, calling on the state government and local administrations to intensify the eviction drive in all tribal belts and blocks.
Also Read: Three Arrested in Grihalakshmi Cooperative Society Scam in Azara; Crores Embezzled from Public
Also watch: