No decision yet on eviction from tribal belts & blocks: BTC chief Pramod Boro

KOKRAJHAR: BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) chief Pramod Boro has said that the Council authority neither discussed nor took any decision on the reported eviction drive in the trial belts and blocks of the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region).

The issue has come to the fore as there has been a standing order from the Gauhati High Court for the eviction of people from unprotected classes encroaching upon lands in tribal belts and blocks in the BTR and other autonomous councils in the State.

A number of organizations, including the Bodoland Minority Students' Union (ABMSU), moved the High Court to put on hold the eviction order.

Talking to the media, the BTC chief made mention of media reports regarding the order from the Gauhati High Court for the eviction of people belonging to unprotected classes encroaching upon lands in tribal belts and blocks. He said the matter is related to Chapter-X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886 and the order of the Gauhati High Court is not only for BTR but also for the entire states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Boro further said that the matter was a legal proceeding, but "in the BTR they haven't taken any decision on the High Court order as yet".

Boro said land related matters in 6th Schedule areas are looked after by the respective councils and they are empowered to take comprehensive land policy. He also said there has been no fresh land survey and policy in the State. "This is unfortunate," he said.

On the other hand, the Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM) and the All India Bodo National Tribal League for Statehood Movement (BNTL) have demanded that the High Court's order must be followed by the respective deputy commissioners and Principal Secretary of the BTC to evict all illegal encroachers from tribal belts and blocks.

BJSM leader Janaklal Basumatary and BNTL leader SK Bwiswmuthiary said the deputy commissioners of the respective districts and the BTC Principal Secretary must act according to High Court order.