JORABAT, March 6 - A feeling of anger continues as the administration has shown no interest in addressing the issues raised by various organisations of Dimoria against the move to set up an Assam Rifles (AR) camp on tribal cum agricultural land in the Sonapur area.
The Amri Karbi Students� Union (AKSU) today gave a strong intimation threatening to block the National Highway-37, to be soon followed by a railway line blockade if the administration fails to address the issue.
The organisation�s office-bearers have asserted that the indigenous people would never part with their land as the administration move is against their fundamental rights.
It may be mentioned that the administration tried to hand over possession of 144 bighas and 19 lesas of agricultural cum tribal belt land in Domorapathar village under the Sonapur Circle Office to the Assam Rifles, sparking a strong reaction from the locals against the move.
The student body alleged that the administration has not gone through the provisions of consultation, consent and assessment of social and cultural impact, especially on those living on the said land and the region in general, before deciding to hand over the land to the Assam Rifles.
Meanwhile, the student body and various regional organisations have gained the support of indigenous people, who are in no mood to allow the military camp to be set up there.
The AKSU has demanded an urgent meeting with the authorities concerned as it feels that the people at the helm of affairs are not aware of the ground realities.
The protesters have highlighted various negative impacts of the proposed setting up of the AR camp in a well-established village that dates back to the British period.
Conscious circles of society tend to say that evicting people and setting up military camps is a normal task for the government, but the social, cultural and environmental impacts of such moves are beyond one�s imagination.
According to local residents of the greater Dimoria-Sonapur region, a number of military camps were set up at Dimoria with a promise not to harm the environment, but as had been seen, lots of trees and green hills were cut during the establishment of such camps. Such camps amidst the greenery are a threat to the environment, they pointed out.
Similarly, during construction of the railway line at Dimoria, a number of green hills were flattened in the name of development.
The area where the AR camp is proposed to be set up will also require a huge volume of earth to fill up the agricultural land.
Again, as experienced by the families residing around the various military camps set up in Dimoria area, a number of restrictions have been enforced for the general public, affecting the normal life of the people.
Locals are of the view that the government should shift the proposed AR camp to a different location, with minimum, or if possible, no impact on the people living there.
