Assam: Eviction Looms for 1983 Families in Karbi Anglong

GUWAHATI: In a major development, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) announced on Tuesday to evict 1983 families living in the Professional Grazing Reserve and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) lands in the Karbi Anglong region.

KAAC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang declared the decision following two rounds to review meetings involving current and former autonomous council members, MLAs, MPs, representatives of student bodies, other organizations, and political parties in Diphu.

The eviction process will start after Ronghang issues notice to the encroachers, beginning February 21, 2024. The KAAC has authority over the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong, which are predominantly tribal-majority areas.

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for eviction will be developed, and a dedicated task force will be established to remove illegal occupants from the PGR-VGR lands in Fuloni, Diphu, Shilonijan, and Dongkamokam regions.

Tuliram Ronghang further said that although a complete assessment of the total number of encroachers had not been carried out yet, 1,983 families are residing on PGR and VGR land solely in the Hawaipur mouza area, under the Donkamokam circle in the West Karbi Anglong district. Additionally, 103 families were encroaching on grazing lands under the Phuloni circle in Karbi Anglong.

The KAAC has also detailed strategies for rehabilitating the evicted individuals. Support and assistance will be provided in stages to those impacted by the eviction.

The protest calling for the removal of "illegal encroachers" was spearheaded by the Karbi Students Association and the Autonomous State Demand Committee Youth Front.

It started the previous Thursday primarily as a demonstration against the Rachnatmak Nonia Sanyukta Sangh, an organization representing the Hindi-speaking Nonia community.

Last month, the organization submitted a memorandum to President Draupadi Murmu, requesting, among other things, the legalization of settlers on these lands in West Karbi Anglong.

The protest had caused tension in the two districts, culminating in an attack on a group of demonstrators last week, which left 11 people injured and led to the arrest of 17 individuals.

ALSO READ:

ALSO WATCH: