KARIMGANJ, April 14 – The tribal people of Karimganj district are facing myriad problems, especially those who are living on reserve forest land.
A spokesman of Karimganj District Tribes Union told this correspondent that the subdivisional land advisory committee in its meeting proposed to issue periodic patta to the tribal people who are residing in the forest villages. But till date the district administration has been unable to implement the decision of the land advisory committee.
The Tribal people were allotted 10 bighas of land in the forest village by the British regime before Independence without giving any valid document. Now these people have been served eviction notices by the State Forest Department.
A hostel-cum-rest house meant for the tribals at Karimganj constructed by the DRDA is now being occupied by the BRTF. The Union therefore expressed concern over the activities of the BRTF as well as the district administration for not taking any action to vacate the hostel.
The Union demanded creation of belt and blocks under Assam Land Revenue Regulation Chapter - 10, formation of Assembly reserved seats which will include the southern part of Ratabari constituency and Southern part of Patharkandi constituency.
It is gathered that there are 105 villages where Choroi, Reong, Khasi, Jaintia, Dev-Barman, Burman, Tripura, Hrangkhal, Sakachap and Mulsnour tribes live and their total population will be around 55,000.
As per government norms, 60 per cent of the facilities under DRDA are meant for ST people, but in Karimganj district, the DRDA has not taken any major schemes in the tribal areas, the union alleged.
Another demand is to re-constitute GP boundary of Balipipla, Zerzen, Cheragi by creating compact tribal areas and reserve the above areas for the tribes people. The spokesman of the Union told this correspondent that many places of Barak Valley are named in tribal dialect, such as Choriobari, Doldung (Kontekcherra), Solugoi (Solgoi), Ankapa, Akaidurg, Kukital, Kukitilla (now Ram Krishnanagar), the historical site of Kanchan Raja at Badarpurghat, Sielchar (now Silchar), Kaja Kaunti (at present its known as Kachha Kanti at Udarbond).
History proves that tribal people were the indigenous people of the Barak Valley, but their present economic, political and educational status are backward. They live in forest reserves where it is practically not possible to implement any scheme due to strict enforcement of the 1980 Forest Protection Act. It is essential to allot them land in civil areas.
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