Unabated Encroachments in Kakoi Reserve Forest in Lakhimpur continue
A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: Taking advantage of the inaction of the Lakhimpur district administration and Divisional Forest Office, encroachment from across the border continues in Kakoi Reserve Forest in Lakhimpur district. The people of Arunachal Pradesh have not only occupied the land under the jurisdiction of the said Reserve Forest by establishing residential areas but is also rearing fishes digging several ponds crossing the inter-state border line.
It is noteworthy that the people of Arunachal Pradesh living under the Kakoi Circle in Papumpare district have rampantly encroached on 4,415.1242 hectares of the Reserve Forest.
Meanwhile, electrification is been facilitated by the Arunachal Pradesh government in the encroached areas of the forest along with water supply. Moreover, a police outpost along with some concrete buildings have been constructed in the encroached areato secure the encroachers. The encroachers were even able to cultivate paddy in Reserve Forest.
A plantation scheme by the Arunachal Pradesh government was also conducted on both sides of the road in the encroached area under Ujjalpur Gaon Panchayat of Lakhimpur district.
Regarding the issue, the people of the adjacent areas of the Reserve Forest, alleged that the encroachers from the border State have been indulging in these illegal activities under the very nose of the Lakhimpur Division Forest Office. “TheLakhimpur Forest Division has generously handed over the land of Assam to the encroachers,” they remarked ridiculing the Lakhimpur district administration and expressing vehement resentment over the issue.
Meanwhile, the encroachers have allegedly taken a major part of the Kakoi quarry of Lakhimpur under their custody besides regularly excavating the Kakoi river resources which falls under the Reserve Forest area in Lakhimpur district.
Regarding the issue, the native people have demanded adequate steps from the Lakhimpur district administration against the encroachers to save the Reserve Forest from their aggression. In this regard, immediate intervention of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also demanded.