A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: The Jipal Farmers' and Workers' Union has launched a protest programme against palm oil cultivation at Bakuli Chapori. Through a protest march organised by mobilising locals, the organisation opposed the alleged attempt to occupy grazing land and establish a palm oil plantation there.
Jipal Chief Adviser Soneswar Narah strongly criticised Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika and questioned who had given the minister permission to cultivate palm oil on the riverine land of the people and whether the consent of residents had been obtained.
Narah further said that no attempt to create division and conflict among the indigenous communities of Bakuli Chapori in the name of palm oil cultivation would be allowed to succeed. He also made it clear that a stronger mass resistance would be built against the move.
Meanwhile, Jipal spokesperson Prabin Pegu said that if palm oil cultivation is expanded across Assam's chars and chaporis while ignoring the environmental impacts of large-scale monoculture, pressure on riverine agricultural systems and local livelihoods would increase. He demanded that Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika visit Bakuli Chapori and hold a public hearing there at the earliest.
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