Assam Government Asked To Initiate Anti-Encroachment Drives
FORESTS, SANCTUARIES, WETLANDS & CHAR AREAS
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Assam government must evict the large industries and hotels encroaching the State’s reserve forests, wildlife sanctuaries, and wetlands. Surveys must be carried out in the char areas, many of which are presently occupied by people of doubtful citizenship; and similar eviction drives be conducted there. These demands were made by the BJP legislators during Zero Hour on the first day of the winter session of the Assam Assembly on Thursday.
Taking part in the discussion on the new ‘Land Policy-2019’, AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita said, “While the district administrations take the centre stage by evicting common people; they hardly initiate such stringent steps against the large groups having industries and hotels on areas demarcated as reserve forests, wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands. Why are evictions not carried out against the Star Cement and the Ginger Hotel groups that are carrying out businesses by encroaching upon such lands within the State?”
Legislator Kalita further asked, “What will the government do with the 65,000 indigenous people residing on the hills surrounding the city? Will they ever get pattas?”
On the char areas, BJP MLA Padma Hazarika pointed out, “Owing to the lack of surveys in the riverine areas, the authorities do not have any data on the people illegally occupying those areas of the State. So the government must immediately carry out surveys of the people residing in those areas. Such an exercise will expose the people of doubtful citizenship in the char areas; they must be evicted.”
BJP MLA Atul Bora said, “The large tracts of land within Assam presently under illegal occupation of large industrialists must be feed, and distributed among the indigenous poor people.”
In his reply, Revenue Minister Bhabesh Kalita said, “It is a matter of concern as to how pattas can be given to the 65,000 indigenous people dwelling on the hills surrounding the city. As per the ‘Land Policy-2019’, the government can’t give patta to anyone living on hills. We’ll have discussions with all the 126 MLAs over the issues regarding encroachment, eviction and pattas in the hilly areas.