Free tribal belts and blocks from encroachers: AATS

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 8: The All Assam Tribal Sangha has demanded of the State Government to evict people encroaching upon protected 30 tribal blocks and 17  belts in the State by implementing the Assam Land and Revenue Act, 1886 and distribute the land to be freed among the Scheduled Tribes and traditiol forest dwellers in accordance with the Scheduled Tribe and Dwellers Act, 2006.

Addressing the media today, AATS secretary general Aditya Khakhlari said: “A day in every Assembly session in the State should exclusively discuss the issues of tribal people of the State.”

According to Khakhlari, around 11,000 bighas of the 85,80,842 bighas of land under tribal blocks and belts has been under illegal occupation in as many as 14 districts in the State. These lands are protected for plain tribes, hill tribes, tea tribes, Santhals, Scheduled Caste, th-Jogi and the Koch-Rajbongshis of undivided Goalpara district. “Due to improper implementation of Chapter 10 of the Assam Land and Revenue Act, 1886 there have been illegal mutation of land and political intervention etc., leading to occupation such land by businessmen from outside the State,” he said, and added: “Despite making the government aware of it there has been no action against the encroachers. Now, we keep our alive with the new government at Dispur.”