No compromise on eviction on encroached forest land: Ranjit Basumatary

KOKRAJHAR: Executive Member of Forest, BTC, Ranjit Basumatary on Saturday made it clear that there would not be any compromise on eviction on encroached forest land and warned the elements who are trying to politicize the eviction drive by instigating encroachers to grab forest land.

After carrying out eviction against illegal encroachers in Laokriguri forest land under Aie Valley division in the Chirang district on Saturday, Basumatary said that 22 families of Laokriguri forest land were backed by the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and they were destroying saplings planted by the Social Forestry to plant rubber trees. He said the 22 families had been served notice and asked not to destroy the saplings but they continued destroying forest lands. He alleged that there were plans for plantation of 5 lakh rubber trees in which the former deputy chief of BTC and leaders of Bodo National Students’ Union (BoNSU) were involved. He also said they were politicizing the eviction drive and the 22 families were instigated by them to grab the forest land for rubber plantation.

Basumatary said the BPF during their 17 years of rule in BTC failed to protect reserve forest. He also named some senior BPF leaders who occupied huge forest land and turned them into as tea gardens. He also reiterated that these leaders had instigated illegal encroachers to grab forest land for their narrow political gain. He said the forest department of BTC will provide land to landless people and they should approach the department concerned. But the BTC government will never compromise on illegal encroachment on forest land, he said.

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