Encroachment of school land sparks outrage in Hailakandi’s Gharmurra area
Locals in Gharmurra, Hailakandi, express anger over alleged encroachment of 7 out of 8 bighas of a government school’s land.
Officials surveying the land
Hailakandi, July 25: Tensions erupted in Gharmurra area of southern Assam’s Hailakandi district, where locals have expressed strong resentment over the encroachment of nearly seven bighas of land belonging to a government school. The incident has sparked widespread discontent among residents of the border region near Mizoram, with many demanding immediate administrative action.
The government school in question, established in 1937 over forest land in Gharmurra Part I village, originally received eight bighas of land granted by the then Divisional Forest Officer of Cachar on February 2, 1940. What was once the only educational institution for the region’s tribal population is now facing the threat of space deprivation, as six local individuals have allegedly taken control of the land for cultivation.
According to school authorities, the encroachment has severely affected the daily activities of the school, especially the playing and outdoor sessions for the 309 enrolled students. The school, currently staffed by six teachers, had quarters for faculty in earlier years, but these structures have reportedly been damaged and the land usurped.
Former teacher Bishu Kar expressed deep concern over the inaction, citing a 2020 eviction order issued by the then Divisional Forest Officer, NH Mazumder. “An eviction date was fixed for December 27, 2020, and the forest department had even written to the Superintendent of Police, but the eviction never happened,” Kar lamented. He urged authorities to act swiftly, warning that continued delays would only worsen the situation.
Following complaints from the school’s managing committee, the issue has reached the Chief Minister and other top officials. District Guardian Minister Krishnendu Paul has assured residents and the school that official measures will be taken to recover the encroached land.
In a recent development, a forest department team, including Assistant Conservator Kalidas Sinha, Range Officer Sanjoy Kumar Ahir, and a surveyor from Silchar, surveyed the affected land. Divisional Forest Officer Akhil Dutta stated that while the encroachment has been documented, eviction may only begin in the winter months as the area is currently too wet for machinery and personnel to operate safely.
Meanwhile, Headmaster Prabir Kumar Das noted that the issue had been brought to the attention of the then Deputy Commissioner back in 2019 during a public meeting organized by the school’s managing committee. Katlicherra MLA Suzam Uddin Laskar had also written to the DC, requesting prompt recovery of the land.
Chairman of the school managing committee, Bijan Kumar Das, reiterated the school’s historic value and the urgent need for land restoration. “This institution has served generations of tribal children. Today, these children are being deprived of even a playground,” he stated.