AZARA, May 22 � The existence of about 10 non-tribal villages in a tribal belt with less than five per cent tribal people under the Azara Revenue Circle in Kamrup (M) district since Independence has caused problems to the people living in those villages. These non-tribal villages include Borjhar, Agchiya, Majirgaon, Jogipara, Pachaniyapara, Sanpara, Sikarhati, etc. As these non-tribal villages are reserved under the tribal belt, some tribal status is also being provided to the villagers.
It has been learnt that the Government, through a notification (Letter No. RD/74/46/161 dated August 22, 1949), had formed the South Kamrup (Chhaygaon) Tribal Belt with 3,43,755 bighas of land of 170 villages under the Chhaygaon and Boko revenue circles in Kamrup district. Moreover, the Government, through another notification (Letter No. RD/74/46/172 dated February 27, 1950), had formed the South Kamrup (Guwahati) Tribal Belt with 3,01,104 bighas of land of 236 villages under the Sonapur, Palasbari and Chandrapur revenue circles.
It has also been learnt that the Government, through a notification (Letter No. RSD-26/64/PT/38 dated July 30, 1969), freed a huge area of Guwahati and a few villages under the Sonapur and Palasbari revenue circles from the South Kamrup (Guwahati) Tribal Belt. But non-tribal villages like Borjhar, Jogipara, Raibari, Majirgaon and Agchiya situated outside Guwahati city are still under the tribal belt due to which the people of these villages have been facing problems in many respects.
It may be noted here that as per the 1991 Census, the number of tribal people in these non-tribal villages are 27 out of 926 at Jogipara, three out of 346 at Majirgaon, three out of 169 at Agchiya and three out of 2,357 at Sikarhati. It may also be noted here that there is not a single tribal person at Pachaniapara and Sanpara. Therefore, the people of these non-tribal villages have demanded of the Government to free their villages from the jurisdiction of the tribal belt.
