A CORRESPONDENT
AZARA: Strong opposition surfaced in the Palli area under the Palasbari constituency after a team of revenue and forest officials reportedly conducted a land survey for a proposed satellite township project in the New Basti area and adjoining parts of Palasbari town on Saturday.
According to local residents, the survey team arrived to carry out measurements and preliminary assessments related to the proposed project. However, apprehensive about the possible impact on their homes and livelihoods, residents objected to the exercise and compelled the officials to leave the area.
Following the incident, a large number of residents gathered at the office of the Palasbari Co-District Commissioner on Sunday and staged a protest. The protesters later submitted a memorandum to the administration expressing concern over the proposed project and urging the authorities to halt survey activities in the area.
In the memorandum, the residents stated that nearly 95 per cent of the people living in the locality belong to economically weaker sections. They claimed that many families affected by erosion caused by the Brahmaputra River had settled in the area nearly 90 years ago after losing their original homes and agricultural land.
Sources said the government is considering the area for the establishment of a satellite township project. The protesters urged the authorities not to undertake any action that could adversely affect the indigenous and long-settled inhabitants of the region. They further warned that if survey activities continue without addressing the concerns of local residents, they would be compelled to launch a democratic mass movement to protect their land and homes. Meanwhile, a protest meeting was held in Gayanpara village under Palli on Sunday morning.
Amid the growing concerns, Palasbari MLA Himangshu Sekhar Baishya met residents of Palli New Basti and sought to allay their fears. Clarifying the issue, the MLA said the controversy had arisen due to a technical error and asserted that the area under discussion did not comprise 16 villages, as was being perceived, but constituted a single village. He stated that the survey had inadvertently created panic among local residents and assured them that only the available government land in the New Basti area, if required, would be considered. Baishya urged residents not to panic, saying their concerns would be considered before any decision.
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