KAAC to fence 8,000 bighas VGR-PGR land after tripartite meet, says CM Sarma

Guwahati, Dec 27: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a tripartite meeting with the representatives of the agitating Karbi community and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) at Dispur on Friday.

Interacting with the media after the meeting, the Chief Minister said that KAAC will immediately start erection of fencing in the 8,000 bighas of vacant VGR and PGR land in Kheroni area.

In the area, KAAC will also conduct an afforestation drive to avert any encroachment bid in the future.

“Today we had a tripartite discussion among representatives of the Karbi people, the State Government and the KAAC over the recent disturbing development in Karbi Anglong. We have taken a number of important decisions in the meeting,” Sarma said.

The Chief Minister informed that the matter related to the VGR and PGR land has been under the consideration of the Gauhati High Court, and KAAC is yet to submit an affidavit before the court in this matter.

“Therefore, the matter is yet to be resolved. Today it was decided that KAAC will file the affidavit before January 5. Representative of the agitating Karbi people will also file an affidavit in this case,” he stated.

“The State Government will also appeal to the court to give an order on its previous stay on the eviction in grazing lands as soon as possible so that we can take action accordingly,” Sarma added.

Sarma had said on December 25 that the demand by the Karbi people to evict the alleged encroachers from grazing lands cannot be accepted immediately, because of a stay by the high court.

The meeting also decided to shift all the government offices located in VGR and PGR land in Kheroni. Similarly, all trade licences issued in the PGR and VGR land will be cancelled and the KAAC will start an eviction drive to clear encroachment from the departmental land in Karbi Anglong,” the Chief Minister said.

Sarma also announced that the next of kin of the deceased who died in police firing in the recent violence will get a government job and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

“The next discussion in this matter will be held on January 17. Hope by that time we will get a decision from the high court. Many rules proposed by the KAAC are under consideration of the State Government and we will clear those soon, Sarma added.

He continued, “Assam Police will give general amnesty in all the cases registered during the recent violence, except the case registered in connection with the death of a person who was allegedly burnt to death,”.

After the meeting, Karbi leader Litson Rongfar said that they will discuss the decisions of the meeting with the public in Karbi Anglong.

“The protest is not only related to PGR and VGR, but there are large areas of government land which are now under encroachment. As a result, the Karbi people have become minorities in their own land. We want eviction of encroachers from government land. Similarly, many other issues that concern us are yet to come under discussion,” Rongfar stated.

He also alleged that had the KAAC filed the affidavit earlier, then the recent violence would not have occurred at all.

He added that all the tribal people of Assam should raise their voices to protect the interests of the State’s indigenous populace.