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Development yet to touch �Khanasumary� villages

By Nayan Kalita

AZARA, Sept 15 � The word �Khanasumary� has no literary meaning. Yet, it has been traditionally used since a long time in some Kamrup villages on Assam-Meghalaya border under Palasbari revenue circle. The word �Khanasumary� has been used for about 300 years in those villages and hence they are known as �Khanasumary villages�.

The �Khanasumary� villagers told this correspondent, who visited some of the villages recently, that the Khanasumary� word is a traditional term which implies those systems where no land measurement is taken by the Government and the villagers have to pay Rs 21 every year as revenue for their houses instead of land.

There is no land record, survey records in the Government offices about those villages.

There are seven �Khanasumary� villages on the Assam-Meghalaya border, just 50 km away from Guwahati city. They are � Dumopaham, Dalepaham, Kanthampaham, Jalukpaham, Bhaluk�khowa, Amring and Nougteria. There are Karbi, Garo, and Nepali community people only in these villages.

It is learnt that according to the 1991 census, the total population in Dolepaham was 271 in 47 families where only 20 males and 16 females are literate. The total population in Jalukpaham is 82 out of 15 families where only 15 males and 12 females are literate. There are only five families in Bhaluk-Khowa and the total population in that village is 31 only out of which only 2 males were found to be literate. The total population of Arnring is 50 in 11 families where only two males are literate. There are only 9 families and total population is 62 in Nongteria village. Five male were found literate in that village.

It may be mentioned here that no census data of 1991 were found for Dumopaham and Kanthampaham villages. Of course, the total population in the villages has now increased.

The living conditions of the �Khanasumary� villages is beyond imagination. No sign of modern civilisation can be found there. The shadow of modern civilisation is yet to touch those villages though the country has celebrated its 66th Independence Day. One might not understand if he does not go there, as to how the villagers have been deprived of all kinds of facilities i.e., medical, education, roads and bridges, proper drinking water etc. �We have only heard about the word �Independence�, but not seen its real taste,� the villagers told this correspondent.

Though there are three LP schools at Durnopaham, Jalukpaham and Nongteria, they exist only in name. The number of students is very few. Everything in the schools depends upon the teachers who run the schools at their own sweet will as the villagers are not aware of anything of the Education department. It is alleged that the teachers take this advantage due to the negligence of the Education department. The students after finishing LP school, have to go to Rani for their high school education. Rani is very far from the villages and the students cannot think of going there due to lack of proper communication. Though an LP school existed at Narlung village also, it has been shifted to the Amring village as the former was extensively damaged by wild elephants in 1991.

The people of the �Khanasumary� villages have been deprived of all socio-economic developments due to lack of good transport and communication facilities. They use the hilly roads for communication They come to Rani once a week for marketing. They come together due to the fear of wild animals.

There are no medical facilities in the �Khanasumary� villages. Though one or two hospitals have been set up by the Government they are too far away from the villages. The people cannot go to those hospitals for emergency treatment. It is very surprising that the people have not heard about modern medicines yet. They use traditional methods and depend upon God for cure.

There is no facility for proper drinking water in the villages. The villagers use pond-water for drinking, making themselves susceptible to various diseases.

The business of ginger and betel nut are the principal ways of livelihood of the �Khanasumary� villages. They also deal in milk which is very profitable for them. Though the villagers practise jhum cultivation, the produce is often destroyed by wild elephants.

It is high time for the Government to adopt necessary measures immediately for the all-round development of the �Khanasumary� villages. The very system of �Khanasumary� should be immediately abolished. The Government should take necessary steps for allotment of land to the people, measurement of land, starting of census, development of roads and communication, setting up of schools, hospitals, supply of proper drinking water and necessary commodities under the public distribution system in the villages.

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