Sadiya subdivision faces acute developmental crisis

Part- I

Our Correspondent

TINSUKIA: Even after 72 years of Independence, Sadiya subdivision in Tinsukia district remains the most neglected area in Assam. The river Brahmaputra with its tributaries, particularly Kundil, is still a major threat to the landmass, land aggression by Arunachal Pradesh has turn out to be a bone of contention for the people residing in the Assam border, besides inter-state militancy.

Though Dholla-Sadiya Bridge (Dr Bhupen Hazarika Setu) has connected land-locked Sadiya with mainland Tinsukia, it did not bring much respite other than communication. Small dingy boats are still the only mode transport in several clusters of villages across vast riverine plains of Sadiya. In view of its remoteness, the legislators and politicians along with government officials made Sadiya a haven of corruption which remains unaccountable till date. Inflicted with acute developmental crisis despite the flow of government funds, the people of Sadiya are now up-in-arms for their legitimate rights. Among innumerable issues concerning power, health and education, the border demarcation issue with Arunachal Pradesh, land patta and erosion were significantly highlighted.

In an interactive programme held at Sadiya Circuit House recently with the members of Tinsukia District Journalists’ Association (TDJA), the leading and senior citizens of Sadiya vent their ire on the government officials in particular for not addressing any issue seriously other than false commitments. The meeting organized as part of the first executive meeting of TDJA under the aegis of Sadiya Press Club, was attended by nearly 50 people. It was chaired by Dr Rishi Das, president of TDJA. Biswajit Deori, Sadiya Superintendent of Police, was also present as guest.

At the backdrop of Assam forest land being encroached by the Arunachal Pradesh, Munindra Buragohain said when NEFA was created in 1951, the border with Sadiya in Assam was not demarcated following which Arunachal Pradesh took possession of several hundred hectares of land in a phased manner and started cultivating tea after driving out Assamese settlements. It was also revealed in the meeting that 50 per cent of 7,268 hectare land of Sadiya Deopani and Kundil Kulia Reserve Forest had been either encroached or grabbed by Arunachalese. This has been possible due to the negligence of the Assam Government, Buragohain alleged. He also informed that there were frequent inter-border clashes which resulted in the murder of Assamese people. He demanded that the border dispute must be resolved amicably in order to have a peaceful coexistence between the two neighbours.

Some aggrieved citizens also voiced their concern about dilly-dallying attitude of the State Revenue department in respect of the issuance of land record documents. It was alleged that since 1986 the government stopped issuing land patta even as the mouzadar was accused of collecting revenue (kazna) at an enhanced rate keeping the landowners in the dark. Sadiya SP Biswajit Deori, while commenting on inter-State boundary dispute, said that human aggression being a natural phenomenon; this could be mitigated through a peaceful understanding between the two parties.

Also read: Assam news