BTC Budget Session Reveals Illegal Land Purchases in Tribal Belts by Non-Protected Classes, Calls for Stricter Enforcement

KOKRAJHAR: In a shocking revelation by the Executive Member (EM) of Land and Land Revenue department of BTC during the question hours of the ongoing BTC budget session, it has come to light that many non- protected classes of people from outside the council area had been purchasing, doing mutation, allotment and transferring lands in tribal belts and blocks in the 6th schedule BTC administration. It is revealed that some of the Circle Officers and officials in the department concerned have been flouting the norms of Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886 and amended in 1947.

MCLA Paniram Brahma from the opposition bench raised a question how non-tribal communities had been purchasing lands in tribal belts and blocks in 6th schedule BTC area from the Bodo people and having land allotment from BTC and how the council will take steps in this regard. He also said there was an instance of non-tribal people purchasing and transferring land in Kajalgaon tribal belt in Chirang district. In his reply, the EM of Land and Revenue department of BTC Ranjit Basumatary said the provision of chapter-X of Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886 and the BTC Accord, 2003 have scrupulously been followed in respect of land related issues in 6th schedule area. He admitted that the purchase of land, allotment and transfer was happening not only in Kajalgaon but in other parts of the BTC. He said according to the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886 and amended in 1947, no non-protected class of people will be able to purchase lands of tribal belts and blocks in 6th schedule council administration but despite this fact, some non-protected class of people suspected to be outsiders are also purchasing lands in belts and blocks and get transfer and mutation. He expressed doubt that some of the officers could have been flouting the act and doing the illegal works without acknowledging the same to the CEM or EM of the concerned department. He also said that he had been cross checking the possible loopholes to take appropriate action.

Basumatary said the purchase of lands in tribal belts and blocks in the protected 6th schedule area had been taking place since 2003 in a deceitful manner and the same thing is going to happen with this fraudulent way. He said he had been strictly examining the matter and told the opposition bench that an inquiry committee should be formed to check the gross anomalies in purchase of land in the protected areas as flouting of norms by officials started from 2003. However, in his suggestion, the CEM Pramod Boro said the issue was a sensitive one and said if the illegal purchase, allotment, transfer and mutation had been taking place in a deceitful manner then the matter should be tackled by the concerned EM in connivance with the members of the opposition. Later, no inquiry committee was formed but left it to the concerned EM to deal with it.

There had been revelation by the then EM of Land and Revenue department of BTC of previous BPF regime that over 3 lakh bighas of tribal belts and blocks and tribal sub plan areas have been illegally occupied by the non-protected class of outsiders in BTC region alone. In a summer session of BTC legislative assembly held in 2014, the then opposition MCLA Pradip Kumar Daimary said that the BTC was created taking the areas comprising the tribal belts and blocks constituted under the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Act, 1947 and the tribal sub plan areas etc.

The tribal belts and blocks are protected under this act and in these areas, except the protected classes of people, no one has the right to grab land without proper permission of the authority, he said adding that these tribal belts and blocks and TSP areas have been encroached upon in large scale by the outsiders and even by the suspected Bangladeshis. Daimary questioned whether the BTC administration had information regarding the fresh encroachment in the tribal belts and blocks and TSP areas of council and how much land of belts and blocks as well as TSP areas of BTC are under the illegal occupation of outsiders and non-tribals.

 In his written reply, the then EM of the Land and Land Revenue department of BTC Reo Reoa Narzihary (Now EM of Industries and Commerce) said that they had no knowledge about the fresh encroachment in tribal belts and blocks areas in BTC but the department concerned has been collecting the data of fresh encroachments. He admitted that a total of 3, 49, 505 bighas-4 khatas-8 lechas of tribal belts and blocks and TSP areas of BTC have been encroached.

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