Land grab pushing out sons of the soil

1,88,832 bighas of land encroached upon in 30 tribal blocks and 17 tribal belts across Assam

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 23: The lackadaisical attitude of officials of the State Revenue department officials has resulted in large-scale encroachment of land in 30 tribal blocks and 17 tribal belts in different parts of Assam, despite instructions by the department to check the problem of illegal land grabbing and settlement of non-tribals in those areas.

The continuous encroachment of land in tribal belts and blocks in many parts of the State is now threatening the very existence of aborigil people, a problem which is often being raised by different social and political organizations for redressal.

During the tenure of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, this issue was raised by MLAs several times in the State Assembly, but the then government even failed to furnish proper information about the issue for reasons best known to it.

Sources said revenue officials including deputy commissioners failed to provide proper and sufficient information to the previous government about how much land in tribal blocks and belts has been grabbed by non-tribals and encroachers.

The present BJP-led government at Dispur, before it came to power, promised that all such land in tribal blocks and belts would be made encroachment free. It remains to be seen that what measures the alliance government now takes to deliver on its pre-poll promise.

Only a strong push by Dispur can make revenue officials get down to the business of collecting data properly to help the government tackle the encroachment problem effectively.

According to previous government records, approximately 1,88,832 bighas of land in 30 tribal blocks and 17 tribal belts across the State are now under encroachment. But the figure can't be treated fully correct as it misses out on few districts.

About 11,577 bighas of land in Dhemaji district's Murkongselek tribal belt, 27 bighas of land in Goalpara district's Bardamal, Hatigaon and Khardong tribal blocks, 22,516 bighas of land in Kamrup district's Chaygaon, South Kamrup (Guwahati) and Tamulpur (part) tribal belts, 16,336 bighas of land in Lakhimpur district's North Lakhimpur (sub montane) and North Lakhimpur (riverine), 1,966 bighas of land in gaon district's 7 tribal blocks and one belt and about 1,36,410 bighas of land in Tinsukia district's Sadiya and Tirap belts have been illegally grabbed by non-tribals/encroachers. 

TRIBAL LAND ENCROACHED

*    11,577 bighas of land in Dhemaji district's Murkongselek tribal belt

*    27 bighas of land in Goalpara district's Bardamal, Hatigaon and Khardong tribal blocks

*    22,516 bighas of land in Kamrup district's Chaygaon, South Kamrup (Guwahati) and Tamulpur (part) tribal belts

*    16,336 bighas of land in Lakhimpur district's North Lakhimpur (sub montane) and North Lakhimpur (riverine),

*    1,966 bighas of land in gaon district's 7 tribal blocks and 1 belt

*    1,36,410 bighas of land in Tinsukia district's Sadiya and Tirap belts were illegally grabbed