HS Brahma urges BTC authority to issue land pattas

From a Correspondent

TANGLA, Aug 13: “Let the BTC authority be the first authority to issue land pattas to its people and that too within a short period.” This was  urged by HS Brahma, chairman of the seven-member Committee  for Protection of Land Rights of Indigenous People of Assam, while addressing an assembly of officials of the Udalguri district administration and other stakeholders, including the common people of the district representing various linguistic communities and student organizations, at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall in Udalguri on Saturday.

The meeting witnessed discussions on pertinent issues ranging from collection of land and revenue, large-scale human encroachment of forest land, threats relating to non-scientific construction of buildings in urban and semi-urban areas, role of the Town and Country Planning Department,  tribal belt areas of Assam predomintly inhabited by ‘tribal’ and other ‘backward’ people notified under Chapter X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (ALRR) Act of 1886, awareness among the indigenous people regarding their land rights and their responsibilities, simplifying the  process of allotting land pattas, bringing more transparency and accountability in the administration, fixing of 1951 as the base year for granting of land rights to a citizen, mutation on inheritance land in case of  indigenous  people and fast reduction of agricultural land, among others.

 The meeting was also addressed by Maheswar Boro MLA Kalaigaon LAC, while Sadha Hojai, Udalguri Deputy Commissioner, delivered the welcome speech.

Charan Boro, MLAof Mazbat LAC, along with a number of senior citizens and social activists of the area also attended the programme.