Palasbari-Azara residents protest possible evictions, oppose proposed satellite townships

Guwahati: Hundreds of residents from the Palasbari and Azara revenue circles protested outside the Palasbari revenue circle office on Thursday against possible evictions and proposed satellite township projects in the western outskirts of Guwahati.The protesters, joined by families apprehensive about possible eviction from areas surrounding Guwahati Airport, marched along National Highway-17 at Mirza, opposing the proposed Aerocity and satellite township projects.A large number of protesters came from the Rani area, where govt agencies are conducting land surveys to identify non-tribal settlers residing within notified tribal belts and blocks. Once a historic kingdom, Rani is predominantly inhabited by the Rabha and Bodo communities.Following the march, the Ucched Birodhi Bhumi Adhikar Sangram Samiti, under the banner of Sangrami Krishak Shramik Sangha, sent a memorandum to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma through the Palasbari co-district commissioner. The memorandum expressed concern over reports that the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is preparing to develop townships covering at least 17 villages under the Azara and Palasbari revenue circles.

“The primary livelihood of lakhs of people in this vast region is agriculture and animal husbandry. The construction of a ‘township’ will bring a severe crisis to the life and livelihood of this huge number of poor people...,” the memorandum stated.Sangrami Krishak Shramik Sangha secretary Dinesh Das urged the govt to scrap the proposed township project in agricultural and residential areas. He alleged that the administration was planning evictions in Greater Khena Alibari village in Palasbari on the grounds that many residents lack land documents required to live within tribal belts and blocks.About 300 Hindu and Muslim families live in the village. “We demand to protect tribal belts/blocks and their agricultural lands. But at the same time, govt should make arrangements to provide land ownership certificates (patta) to residents who have been living in these villages for a long time,” he said. “Govt should grant land ownership rights to riots,” Das added.The memorandum also claimed that land acquisition notices have been issued for the proposed Aerotropolis project covering Azara, Mirzapur and Goral villages under the Azara revenue circle. It expressed concern over ‘land surveys’ in Parlli and Majirgaon near the newly inaugurated Terminal 2 of Guwahati Airport.