Over 49,72,539 bigha land in State under encroachment

‘Land mafias in the State have created terror in State’

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 6: AGP legislator Brindaban Goswami in the State Assembly today said that land mafias in the State have created terror in the State.

Participating in the cut motion on Supplementary Demands for grant, 2016-17, Goswami said that the Assamese people have gradually lost their land rights.

“We have seen at different part of the world that when a tion loses its rights on land, that tion eventually wipes out,” Goswami said.

He said that Assam is also heading towards such a situation due to the terror unleashed by land grabbers in the State.

“If Assamese people lose their rights on lands, Assamese tiolity will one day be a history,” said the Tezpur legislator.

He said that to protect the lands of people from land grabbers, the government must keep strict eyes on the on errant circle officers, mandals and village heads besides streamlining the land records. “There must have also a complete mapping of lands,” Goswami said.

Taking part in the cut motion debate, opposition legislators termed the eviction drive launched by the government ‘inhuman’. 

State Revenue minister (Independent Charge) Pallab Lochan Das said that today’s situation is the result of the previous Congress government’s lack of steps upwards land reforms.

“Congress government is responsible for today’s situation. The previous government did not take any steps for land reforms,” Das said.

He further said that the encroached land in the state will be freed and a land bank would be made.

Earlier, during question hour Minister Das said that the eviction drive launched by the government would continue.

“Government will go ahead with the eviction against the encroachers irrespective of their citizenship,” said the Minister.

He made it clear that the government cannot allot land to encroachers.

“If the government allots land to encroachers, it will be in a way an encouragement for encroachers to occupy government lands,” said Das.

He, however, said that as per provision government would consider providing land to the landless people.

“There is a provision for allotting lands to landless people. Such people will get land if they follow due procedures,” said the Revenue minister.

He further claimed that the eviction drive have been carried out in the State following the directives of the Supreme Court. Replying to a separate question by BJP legislator Ashok Singhal, Minister Das said that a total of 4972539 bigha, 1 katha, 3.5 lessa government lands of the State have been encroached upon.