Assam: 3,32,261 bighas of VGR and PGR lands encroached in state

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Encroachment is rampant not only on forest land, government lands and wetlands but also on VGR and PGR lands in the state. Several decades ago, the state government had notified large swathes of land as Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands for grazing of livestock, especially cattle and goats. However, lack of proper monitoring by the authorities concerned has led to large areas of VGR and PGR lands being encroached on.

According to a report of the state government in March 2023, an area of 3,32,261 bighas of VGR and PGR lands in several districts of Assam was under encroachment.

VGR and PGR land refer to Village Grazing Reserve and Professional Grazing Reserve lands, respectively. These are designated areas in Assam, traditionally used for grazing cattle and other livestock. VGR specifically refers to grazing land for the cattle of a particular village, while PGR is for a broader professional or commercial grazing purpose. While VGR lands could be used for free by the villagers for grazing of their livestock, PGR lands were administered by grazing officers, who collected a certain amount as fees for grazing purposes. But the concept of grazing officers has become redundant now. This has led to a lack of monitoring of PGR lands, paving the way for people to grab and squat on these lands.

As per the 2023 report, the district-wise breakdown of encroached VGR and PGR lands is as follows:Barpeta 10,808 bigha (VGR) and 21,078 bigha (PGR), Nagaon 34,596 bigha (VGR) and 2,632 bigha (PGR), Majuli 658 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), Bongaigaon 11,710 bigha (VGR) and 445 bigha (PGR), Cachar 77 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), Charaideo 10,286 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), Darrang 11,548 bigha (VGR) and 10,167 bigha (PGR), Golaghat 24,956 bigha (VGR) and 6,922 bigha (PGR), Hailakandi 76 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), Jorhat 27,439 bigha (VGR) and (PGR), Kamrup 7,948 bigha (VGR) and 2,044 bigha (PGR), Morigaon 21,201 bigha (VGR) and 15,395 bigha (PGR), Nalbari 6,324 bigha (VGR) and 3,765 bigha (PGR), Dhubri 4,461 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), Sivasagar 11,460 bigha (VGR) and 3,177 bigha (PGR), Sonitpur 26,601 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), Biswanath 29,975 bigha (VGR) and 3,619 bigha (PGR), Dibrugarh 22,225 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR), and Kamrup (metro) 653 bigha (VGR) and nil (PGR).

 Also Read: Assam CM: 1.39 Lakh Bighas of Land Freed from Encroachment

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