Assam: Massive dharna in Kokrajhar demanding withdrawal of 900-bigha tribal land allotment to APDCL

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Manch (BJSM) on Monday staged a massive protest against the allotment of 900 bighas of land to APDCL at Malgaon in Kokrajhar district and urged the BTC authority to withdraw the allotment of tribal lands. The protest was held at Nalgaon, where hundreds of tribal people joined the protest demonstration.

Addressing the media after the three-hour peaceful dharna, BJSM leader DD Narzary stated that hundreds of villagers, including youth, women, and elderly citizens from Malgaon, Tintlangguri, Betagaon, Derhapara, Bamungaon, and Batipara, joined the democratic protest.

The BJSM stated that the overwhelming participation of the people clearly demonstrated the deep public resentment against the proposed transfer of protected tribal land. It reiterated that the land in question falls within the Balaghat Nayekgaon Tribal Block, notified under Notification No. RSD-1/83/15 dated July 5, 1984, and therefore enjoys statutory protection under Chapter X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886.

The organisation further stated that the APDCL was primarily a power distribution utility and questioned the necessity of acquiring such a vast extent of protected tribal land for the proposed project. BJSM also expressed concern over reports that the land may ultimately be used for the benefit of private entities, and demanded complete transparency regarding the purpose, ownership, and future use of the land.

Narzary criticised the BTC authority led by Hagrama Mohilary, stating that the leadership should exercise greater responsibility before taking any decision affecting the protected tribal belt and block land.

BJSM emphasised that this issue was not merely a land dispute but concerns the protection of a legally notified Tribal Belt and Block, the constitutional rights of the indigenous Bodo community, and the credibility of the rule of law.

It also opposed the reported announcement of providing Rs 2,50,000 as compensation to each of the 93 families proposed for rehabilitation at the Malgaon Grazing Reserve. The BJSM maintained that if these reports are correct, rehabilitation should not be undertaken on protected tribal belt and block land or on Village Grazing Reserve land, as such action would be contrary to the objective of preserving these protected areas.

The leaders appealed to the Government of Assam, the BTC authority, and all concerned departments to immediately withdraw the proposed allotment of the 900 bighas of protected tribal land, safeguard the statutory status of the Balaghat, Nayekgaon Tribal Block, protect the Malgaon Village Grazing Reserve, and uphold the provisions of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886.

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