Erosion-affected landless families to boycott rural poll

LAKHIMPUR: Around 400 flood and erosion-affected families under two gaon panchayats in Dhakuakhona Legislative Assembly Constituency have shown no enthusiasm for the panchayat poll. On the contrary, they have decided to boycott the panchayat poll after being deprived of permanent residential houses or any benefits of government-sponsored schemes.

These 400 farmer families living at Ujani Orkep, Namoni Orkep, Khamon Birina, Ujani Jaji, Namoni Jaji, Matmora, Juria, Ujani Mising Bali, Namoni Mising Bali, Modarguri, Bahir Modarguri, Bahir Bogoriguri, Maj Tekeliphuta and Bahir Tekeliphuta, located by the side of the mighty Brahmaputra under Matmora and Kherkota GP in Dhakuakhoana Revenue Circle in Lakhimur district, were critically affected by the devastating flood and erosion caused by the river in 1998. In that year, flash flood and erosion damaged their household property. Their crop lands went under thick layer of siltation. In addition to these, several government and academic institutions were also washed away by the massive erosion of the river. Since then, they have been living either on government-reserved land or by the side of the Matmora embankment of the Brahmaputra. They have been again affected by consecutive flash floods of the river in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016.

Despite their vagrant life, no effective steps have been taken to rehabilitate and compensate these poor families till date. They have been the victims of betrayal by the political parties and leaders year in, year out.

President of Naiporia Punar Sangsthapan Dabi Samiti, Abhiram Pegu and secretary Nabakumar Pegu said that though some of these flood-affected families were given land patta during the term of the Congress-led State government with a view to rehabilitating them, the allotted lands have not yet been handed over to them, resulting in their continuous state of homelessness. The heads of the families and the capable members have to earn their living by working outside the State or as daily wage earners. No developmental schemes implemented by the gaon panchayat under P&RD Department can reach them to redeem them from their miserable plight.

Under such circumstances, they flayed the role of the State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister as well as their local MLA Naba Kumar Doley. “Minister Naba Kumar Doley has betrayed the homeless people of his own constituency,” they said.

These families cannot avail the benefits of PMAY and sanitary latrines construction scheme as they do not have their own land. Further, the students of these families have been deprived of the scholarship schemes too for non-possession of income certificates as their families cannot pay the land revenue. For the same reason, these families have been deprived of benefits of any other government-sponsored schemes too.

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