Land Rights Committee visits Kokrajhar

The chairman of Committee for Land Rights of Indigenous People of Assam and former chief election commissioner(CEC) of India Hari Shankar Brahma to visited in Kokrajhar,heart of BTAD administration to take stock about land rights of the indigenous peoples in BTAD region.

Several social and students unions,including All Bodo Students Union,Tribal Sangha demanded protection of tribal belt & blocks and eviction the illegally encroached of protected area across the state.

Brahma, was accompanied with two other members of the committee-Shridhar Dahotia,historian and Ajay Kumar Dutta,former MLA.The committee first held meeting with high officials of district administration,BTC Principal Secretary to take stock about present scenerio of indigenous peoples’ land status. Several organisations that included ABSU,Tribal Sangha,Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha,MLA,ex-MLAs,BPF,UPPL,BTC executive members Rajib Brahma,Doneswar Goyary,Alindra Mushahary,Mrithyunjay Narzary met the committee at Kokrajhar Circuit House and discussed about protection of tribal belt & blocks that are meant for protected area for indigenous peoples.

The organisations submitted memorandum to the committee, demanded early eviction drive against illegally encroached in the protected area.

 Brahma,told the media persons after the meeting that the committee visited Kokrajhar to assess about land rights of the indigenous peoples.The committee has been assessing totally protection of the indigenous peoples’ land in the state.The committee will submit its reports by 100 days to the government and government will take necessary steps while protection of indigenous people’s land.

“We come here to assess protection of land rights of indigenous peoples in Assam wich also include our BTAD.We have 78,000 sq.kms. land areas in Assam, of which 16 lakhs families are farmers, 28 thousand lands are meant for crops. Several land area like forest land,grazing land,community,wetland, lands are included in the entire state. No survey of settlement was held in Assam since 70 years across the state’,Brahma said. Survey is the main required to know about present position of lands.There is report about tribal belt & blocks are illegally occupied.As per chapter X of 1886 revenue act,no non tribal peoples can buy land of indigenous peoples. We are taking stock about present land status of the indigenous peoples. We will submit committees’ report by 100 days to the state government.Government of Assam will take stern steps if there found illegally encroached along protected areas in the state. Equity and justice is also necessary measures of the committee. Committee will highlight totally protection of the indigenous peoples’ land,he said.

 Lawrence Islary,general secretary,ABSU,Ranjit Kumar Borgoayry,ex-president of Tribal Sangha demanded fully protection of tribal belt and blocks. They also urged the government to take stern measures  to evict against illegally encroached peoples in protected area.

Alindra Mushahary,BTC executive member said that the tribal belt & blocks must be protected and committees’ report will be implemted properly.He has hailed committee’s visit in Kokrajhar.