DCs Empowered to Evict Encroachers from Government Lands

DCs Empowered to Evict Encroachers from Government Lands

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Giving the DCs the power to evict encroachers from the government lands, the Assam Land Policy-2019 states: The “Deputy Commissioners shall regularly obtain detail report on encroachment over government land including ‘reserved land’ and ‘land acquired under various land ceiling Act’ and take appropriate and effective steps to evict those encroachers who are not eligible to get settlement of land as per the Land Policy of the Government.”

As per the new approved Land Policy, the evicted encroachers of government lands will have to bear the cost of removal of “encroachment from drains and roads”. The new law says that the cost “may be realized from the encroacher encroaching upon government land. Further no NOC (No Objection Certificate) for transfer of land shall be accorded in favour of a pattadar who happens to be an encroacher over such land.”

Meanwhile, the State Revenue & Disaster Management Department has directed all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to give full effect to the Assam Land Policy-2019. A major thrust of the latest land policy is to make all government lands free from encroachments and evictions. As per official data, 5,46,161.56218 hectares of government land are under encroachment across the State.

The Assam Land Policy-2019 was approved by the State Council of Ministers on October 21, 2019. It replaces the land policy of 1989.

Of the total 33 districts in the State, government lands in 29 districts are under illegal occupation. According to the latest official statistics, Tinsukia district tops with the maximum (92,115.18 hectares) areas of land under encroachment followed by Lakhimpur (54,264.61 hectares), Udalguri (38,314.939 hectares), Dibrugarh (38,033.06 hectares), Dhemaji (37,224.059 hectares), Goalpara (31,268.97 hectares), Biswanath (27,218.239 hectares), Nagaon (23,554.105 hectares), Barpeta (20,252.05 hectares), and Hojai district (19,773. 401 hectares).

Significantly, no government land is under such illegal occupation in Dima Hasao district. On the other hand, the three districts of Kamrup (Metro), Karbi Anglong, and West Karbi Anglong are yet to submit their respective data on this issue to the Revenue & Disaster Management Department, informed sources.

As per the new approved State Land Act, the DCs will also have to “prepare a scheme/plan for eviction for every district as per instructions issued by the government. Such scheme should also include post-eviction plan.”

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