Massive encroachment by Aruchalis alleged

Neighbouring state allegedly encroaching upon Assam’s land at Dullong, Kasojuli in Lakhimpur

By our Staff Reporter

Lakhimpur, Jan 1: History has been witness of countless conflicts between Assam and Aruchal Pradesh over encroachment of Assam’s land. Kasojuli (Dankabasti) area under Laluk Police Outpost of North Lakhimpur district and Dullong Forest Reserve under Bogidi Police Station of North Lakhimpur are the areas of the district which have been encroached upon by Aruchal Pradesh. Both the areas come under the supervision of Harmoti Range Office in North Lakhimpur.

“The encroachment has been going on since a long time. It has always been the responsibility of the Deputy Commissioner and Divisiol Forest Officers to supervise the district’s boundary areas. The conflict between the people of both the States of Assam and Aruchal Pradesh has caused enough mayhem, thus destroying the social environment,” said Dibajyoti Saikia, human rights and social activist.

 He further said, “Neither did the former DCs and DFOs nor the present DC and DFOs have taken any initiative to resolve the issue. The border area people have been suffering for too long now. The Aruchalis have crossed the border of Assam and settled in Dullong Forest Reserve. They have been constantly torturing the Assamese local people from time to time to give up their lands. In legal sense, the Assamese people near the Dullong Forest Reserve should have got protection from the government but it seems that the government has completely failed to do so. The State Government has not shown any concern in the past or now, in spite of the ongoing encroachment in Assam by people from Aruchal Pradesh. In fact, the government has been going against the locals of the district.”

Saikia added, “Regarding the Kasojuli (Dankabasti) area of Lakhimpur under the Ronga Forest Reserve, a 1.5-km road has already been constructed by the Aruchalis towards the Gabhoru River which was recently closed down by the police officials of Assam under orders of the Assam Government. A same scerio has been seen inside the Ronga Forest Reserve. Many Aruchali families are residing inside the forest reserve which is spread over 8529.71 hectares of land as per the government notification No. 501/8/F of  July 15, 1919 of the forest department of Assam. But if the government does not finds a permanent solution to this border issue, the local people of the district will have to suffer and Assam will lose land to Aruchal Pradesh.

In the remote interior areas of the Dullong Forest Reserve, a bridge above the Jeeli River was the mark of Assam’s land but the Arunchalis have crossed the bridge and settled on Assam’s land illegally.”

“I have been residing in the area since the 1990s and I have faced many threats from the Aruchalis for giving up the land. Our government does not even provide protection and instead we are asked to shift to another location. In 1988, there were 33 Aruchali families residing in Assam land and the number has increased to around 900.The Dullong Forest Reserve of Lakhimpur has 9900.03 hectares  of land according to government notification No. FRS 1225 R of May 28, 1913 and 2798 R of October 5, 1926 of the forest department of Assam. Almost the whole forest reserve has been covered by Aruchali settlement. They are destroying rare species tree, which in Assamese is known as Siribon, for Jhum cultivation and tea plantation. It is a matter of concern that the forest department of Assam continues to act ignorant even after knowing that the immigrants are destroying various rare species of plants and trees inside the Ronga Forest Reserve,” said Prodeep Gogoi, district president of KMSS.

Gogoi added, “Regarding the bridge, they are trying to build a road over the dry Jeeli River and therefore they have destroyed the bridge. This has to be stopped by the authorities of Assam. The district administration does know about the illegal construction of road over Jeeli River and yet it seems to neglect such a serious issue. The Central Government has already declared the border areas as ‘disputed’ and hence a peace committee was formed to maintain peace and supervise the border areas between both States.”

 “The district administration of Lakhimpur should have taken initiatives rather than remaining silent on this issue. Both the Central and State governments must take proactive steps to solve the border problem between Assam and Aruchal Pradesh,” said Dibajyoti Saikia.