Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: With eviction drives being carried out in the state, the All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) urged the state government to free tribal belts and blocks from encroachers. According to the Sangha, around four lakh bighas of land in tribal belts and blocks in the state are under encroachment.
Speaking to The Sentinel, AATS secretary general Aditya Khakhlary said, “The state had 17 tribal belts and 30 tribal blocks earlier. With the addition of a tribal block a few years ago, the number of tribal blocks in the state stands at 31 now. According to government records, around four lakh bighas of land in tribal belts and blocks have been under encroachment.”
Khakhlary said, “The Gauhati High Court issued an order in 2019 in a PIL (78/2012) asking the state government to make lands in tribal belts and blocks free from encroachers. The government carried out an eviction drive in the Kachutoli area near Sonapaur in the Kamrup (M) district. We welcomed the government move, but vast areas of encroached tribal lands are yet to be freed. We request the government to free all tribal lands from encroachers to ensure the land rights of the tribal people in the state.”
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