Assam Government Sets Up Public Land Protection Cell (PLPC) to Address Land Encroachment

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Following an order from the Gauhati High Court, the State Government set up the Public Land Protection Cell (PLPC) to address land encroachment-related grievances.

The high court advised the State Government to set up a permanent mechanism in the form of a PLPC to deal with complaints pertaining to encroachments. The court took the step after receiving several lawsuits pertaining to land encroachments.

The court observed that in the event of setting up such a cell, the litigants would not be compelled to rush to the court. Recognising the gravity of the issues, the Court emphasised the need for a dedicated cell to handle cases of encroachments.

The State Government informed the High Court that to set up the cell, it had issued a notification and set up the three-layer cell— one each for rural areas, municipal areas, and metropolitan areas.

The litigations were related to the encroachment of pasture land, catchment areas, ponds, burial grounds, public places, etc. The Court advised the then Chief Secretary of the State Government in 2018 to devise a permanent mechanism to deal with such complaints. The government, however, did not set up the cell. A few days ago, the High Court directed the State Government to issue the requisite notification for the formation of a PLPC in each district. The court also stated that the public who felt wronged would move the district collector-led cell in search of justice. The direction was passed by the division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Mitali Thakuria, on a PIL alleging that certain individuals have illegally encroached on a plot of government land measuring around two bighas in the Nagaon district that has been in the possession of the Water Resources Department since 1956.

The cell would address the grievances of petitioners in light of the notification and hear the parties concerns before taking any action, such as dispossession, etc.

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