Change Guidelines For Constructing Houses: Gaurav Gogoi

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: MP from Kaliabor constituency Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday wrote to the Centre and State Government against two tea gardens of Upper Assam for not cooperating in the construction of houses under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Highlighting the pathetic condition of houses being used by tea workers Gogoi on Tuesday dashed off letters to Union Commerce minister Piyush Goel, Minister of Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar and Assam Chief Secretary Alok Kumar, seeking their intervention to compel Borsapori Lokhojan and Numaligarh tea estates to cooperate in construction of houses for landless tea workers under PMAY.

Gogoi said even though the Panchayat has taken up an initiative to provide housing facility under PMAY to 191 beneficiaries under Borsapori Lokhojan and Numaligarh tea estates, the tea gardens management are refusing to allow construction of houses on garden land citing an order of the Gauhati High Court.

It may be mentioned here that on December 9, 2014, the Gauhati High Court ordered that the IAY houses (now known as PMAY) should be constructed on public land and not on tea garden’s land. Tea estates’ land is meant to be used only for growing tea and ancillary purposes.

Gogoi, however, said some land of tea gardens are being used for factory, bungalow, Mandir, labour quarters and grazing field etc. He said some tea estates have allowed construction of pucca structures for residential purposes and have even issued No Objection Certificate (NOC) to workers’ families for construction of PMAY houses. Gogoi demanded the Centre to change guidelines for constructing houses so that landless tea workers can enjoy benefits of PMAY scheme.

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