BOKAKHAT, Feb 25 � Occupying vast areas of land along the border of Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts is not a new matter. Dr Jayanta Rongpi, ex-MP of Karbi Anglong is occupyng an area of sixty bighas of tea plantation area owned by local youths of Kaziranga. This may create an unpleasant situation.
The area (known as Halua NC) lies under Bokakhat Revenue Circle of Golaghat district. Tea saplings have been planted by local persons belonging to Bokakhat subdivision.
The president and secretary of the Kaziranga branch of the Assam Small Tea Growers Association Bipan Gogoi and Arun Sarmah respectively in a press meet held at the reception counter of the Assam Tourism Department expressed strong resentment at the development. They revealed that Dr Jayanta Rongpi, ex-MP, has occupied the area by erecting RCC posts on 70 bighas of land under Bokakhat Revenue Circle with the help of police force. The area had been planted 11 years back by small tea growers, Tikheswar Gogoi, Binod Saikia, Hari Chandra Gogoi, Dipul Gogoi, Niranjan Saikia and Babul Gogoi.
It may be mentioned that the Circle Officer of Bokakhat Revenue Circle had given possession certificates to the tea growers concerned. After proper survey and investigation, the Bokakhat Revenue Circle gave the possession certificates based on the map of 1960. How the Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council authorities can demand this area is also a big question.
The president and secretary of the Small Tea Growers� Association, Kaziranga warned that they would follow an agitational path with the support of the public by convening an open public meeting if the matter was not amicably solved.
