CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has assured to oust squatters from tribal land: CCTOA

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA) said on Saturday that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has given an assurance to evict encroachers from Tribal Belts and Tribal Blocks of the state.

Talking to The Sentinel, the chief coordinator of the CCTOA, Aditya Khakhlari said that the Chief Minister gave this assurance during a meeting with representatives of the tribal organization at the Janata Bhawan here on Friday.

Khakhlari said that various important issues of the tribal population of Assam were discussed at the meeting, including the Basundhara 2.0 and Bhumiputra schemes, along with encroachment of land in Tribal Belts and Tribal Blocks. He said that the CCTOA delegation apprised the Chief Minister of specific areas which are witnessing encroachment of land in belts and blocks reserved for tribal people.

Khakhlari mentioned that the CCTOA urged the Chief Minister to strictly enforce a judgment passed by the Gauhati High Court in a case (No 78/2012) to make land in Tribal Belts and Tribal Blocks free from encroachment. He said that they specifically pointed out the instance of Kobu Sapori under the Jonai Revenue Circle of the Dhemaji district, where illegal encroachment is rampant. He said that they also mentioned the example of Belguri Kacharigaon under the Samaguri Revnue Circle of the Nagaon district, where the state government had allotted 178 bighas of land for construction of the 'Lilawati Daimari Stadium'. However, the land in question has been illegally occupied by people of dubious nationality. The Chief Minister assured them of taking action in both cases, starting with Kobu Sapori.

Khakhlari said that regarding the CCTOA's submissions regarding Mission Basundhara 2.0, the Chief Minister reiterated that tribal applicants will be eligible to be allotted a maximum of 50 bighas of land which is their possession by way of inheritance. The Chief Minister further said that once the ongoing survey work is completed in non-cadestral villages, polygon maps and Dag numbers will be issued which will pave the way for tribal people to apply for their respective plots of land. Khakhlari said that the Chief Minister informed them that 4,500 tribal families have applied so far for the maximum allotment ceiling of 50 bighas of land under Mission Basundhara 2.0.

According to Khakhlari, the Chief Minister also assured them that the government will issue land pattas to tribal people who are residing in various wetlands of the state. The Chief Minister also told the CCTOA that tribal people can apply for land allotment even if they are occupying Debuttor land (land belonging to religious institution).

Khaklari said that the Chief Minister further stated that the government will introduce a Bill in the forthcoming Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly to de-reserve PGR and VGR land, so that the tribal occupants of such land could be given land rights.

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