STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Offering a tangible solution to the problem of encroachment and eviction, a section of ruling party members has suggested the government to hand over lands that have been made free from encroachers to their respective departments so that the departments protect the lands from encroachers.
During the Question Hour, Amguri MLA Pradip Hazarika (AGP) said, “Encroachment and eviction do create a lot of confusion at many places in the State. Moreover, even after a place is freed from encroachers through eviction drives, the evicted people return and encroach upon the land afresh. Take the case of the KNP (Kaziranga National Park). The people evicted from the KNP areas encroached upon the land afresh, needing another eviction drive. This problem can be solved if lands are handed over to their respective departments soon after eviction of encroachers; the departments won’t allow fresh encroachment.”
Lakhimpur MLA Utpal Dutta (AGP) said, “In Lakhimpur district also, there are examples of lands made encroachment free being again encroached upon by the same evicted people.”
Drawing the attention of the House to a new direction, MLA Shiladitya Dey (BJP) said, “The government needs to keep track of the evicted people as to where they go after eviction. A section of such people evicted from the the KNP areas came and encroached upon new areas in Hojai.”
MLA Sherman Ali (Congress) said, “After carrying out an eviction drive, the government gives an impression that the evicted people are Bangladeshis. If they are Bangladeshis, why doesn’t the government arrest them and make them languish in detention camps? And if they aren’t Bangladeshis, they should be paid compensation as paid to others or given alternative settlement.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said, “The government never terms evicted people as Bangladeshis. It terms them doubtful citizens.”
MLA Mamon Imdadul Haque Choudhury (AIUDF) said, “The government needs to clarify as to what section of people it calls doubtful citizens.”