On January 25, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) secretary D.D Boro, issued orders to Circle Officers in 19 circles in the region to start the process of evicting encroachers from tribal belts in the region.
In the official communication issued, the Circle Officers of Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon, Dotma, Bhawraguri, Bagribari, Sidli, Bijni, Bengtal, Goreswar, Barama, Tamulpur, Baganpara, Baksa (Musalpur), Jalah, Udalgiri, Mabat, Harisinga, Kalaigaon and Khoirabari were directed to “arrange to submit Eviction Proposal of illegal encroachers in Tribal Belt and Block under BTR area” and also requested to submit “proposal for requirement of fund and logistic support in due course.”
The move comes in wake of orders passed in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by the Gauhati High Court wherein the petitioner Pradyut Kumar Bora had submitted that there were massive encroachments in the tribal belts and blocks in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
Though the court had ordered the eviction of encroachers on December 9, 2019, it could not be carried out due to the Covid-19 pandemic and also the BTC elections. 3.89 lakh bighas of land in the region have been encroached upon by as many as 1.01 lakh people, reports Sentinel Assam. As many as 54,798 bighas are allegedly under occupation of people from “non-protected” groups.
The order may be read here:
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