6 groups stage protests on 1st day of House session in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Six organizations staged protests over various grievances at Chachal here on Monday in concert with the first day of the Autumn Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.

These organizations included the All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS), All Assam Koch Rajbonghsi Sanmilani (AAKRS), Assam Anganwadi Workers-Helpers Union (AAWHU), Mangaldai Mahkuma OBB Shikshak Santha, Sadou Asom Sarkaribhabe Nijuktiprapto (Dormoha Nupuwa) Kormoroto Prathamik Shishak Santha and Voter Party International.

The AATS's dharna was in support of six demands. These include restoration of all the alienated lands to the tribal owners within the respective tribal belts and blocks; survey of land under tribal belts and blocks and tribal-inhabited areas and grant of land pattas on entire plots of land to tribals under their possession; implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Right) Act, 2006; execution of the Gauhati High Court's directive and removal of encroachers and illegal industries from tribal belts and blocks; and exclusion of tribal belts and blocks, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) areas from the purview of the Assam State Capital Region Development Authority. The AATS' protest was joined by the All Assam Tribal Youth League.

On the other hand, the All Assam Koch Rajbonghsi Sanmilani raised its long-standing demand for grant of ST status for the community. The AAKRS stated that the Government has not fulfilled its demand, despite repeated commitments, even though the community fulfils all the criteria required for grant of ST (Plains) status. The Assam Anganwadi Workers-Helpers Union demanded regularization of their services and release of pending dues. It also demanded increase of the workers' honorarium to Rs 21,000 per month and helpers' honorarium to Rs 18,000 per month.

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