CCTOA demands eviction of encroachers from tribal belts and blocks

STAFF REPORTERGUWAHATI: Seeking eviction of encroachers and illegal industries from tribal belts and blocks; survey of land in tribal belts and blocks and tribal-inhabited areas and granting land pattas to tribals for land under their possession; implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Right) Act, 2006; and exclusion of tribal belts and blocks, Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) and Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs) area from the purview of the Assam State Capital Region Development Authority (ASCRDA), activists of the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA) gheraoed the Sonapur Circle Office on Tuesday. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam through the Sonapur Circle Officer. In the case number PIL, 78/2029, the Gauhati High Court had directed the Deputy Commissioners of the districts having tribal belts and blocks to take necessary action as required by law against encroachers in tribal belts and blocks, and to file their personal affidavits verifying the action taken in regard to removing illegal encroachments from the tribal area.

The court has made it clear that in case appropriate steps are taken to give effect to this order, the court would consider imposing costs to be recovered from salary of the officers concerned who are found responsible in causing delay in process of the court. But the memorandum stated that “no action has been taken by the concerned authority till date to remove encroachment from tribal belts and blocks”. CCTOA urged the Assam Government to execute the Gauhati High Court’s directions in the case No.

PIL 78/2019 and remove all encroachers and illegal industries from tribal belts and blocks. CCTOA expressed concern over the trend of shrinking the total areas covered by all the tribal belts and blocks in Assam and the resultant outcome of the de-scheduling of different areas of the respective tribal belts and blocks with special mention to Bijni tribal block and Dispur, due to which several lakhs of the people belonging to aboriginal scheduled tribes were rendered homeless and landless. This situation has compounded the worsening of the socio-economic, political and educational conditions of the Scheduled Tribes of Assam to a great extent, stated the memorandum.

CCTOA therefore, urged the government to take proactive steps to restore all the de-scheduled tribal belts and block across Assam with immediate effect. CCTOA also demanded that proper land survey should be carried out in tribal belts and blocks and in tribal-inhabited areas and land pattas should be granted to tribal people over entire plot of land under their possession immediately. The memorandum further stated, “The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 is a key piece of forest legislation passed in India on December 18, 2006.

The Act is not being implemented properly in Assam. As a result of which the ST forest dwellers arc facing lots of problem. Therefore, we demand that the State Government must adopt a bold decision in the State Cabinet for the settlement of land/ issuing land title to all tribal inhabitants in various forest and reserved forest areas of Assam as per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 to redress historical injustice committed against tribal forest dwellers.

” CCTOA also stated that the proposal of the Government of Assam to include tribal belts and block areas, Tribal Sub-plan and Integrated Tribal Development Project areas under the purview of the State Capital Region Development Authority would jeopardize the very concept of protecting rights of the tribal and indigenous people under Chapter X of the Assam Land and Revenue (Regulation) Act, 1886. Hence, CCTOA has demanded exclusion of tribal belts and blocks, TSP and ITDP areas from the purview of State Capital Region Development Authority. Also Read:  CCTOA opposes Assam government’s decisions on tribal belt and blocks Also Watch:.