HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, March 17: BTR chief Pramod Boro accorded a warm welcome to nearly 140 representatives of 41 new villages from Sonitpur and Biswanath districts into the BTR region as per the BTR agreement in a special felicitation programme organised by Sonitpur district ABSU at Batachipur Milan High School field under Dhekiajuli LAC in Sonitpur District on Friday. It is pertinent to mention here that as per the BTR agreement, till now 41 villages from both Biswanath and Sonitpur have been included in the BTR, and through this programme, the BTR administration has formally accepted these villages under the BTR administration to address all sorts of developmental issues.
In the programme, Pramod Boro announced an aid of Rs 2 lakhs to each of the newly included villages for their Bathou and Brahma religious temples under the BTR government’s ‘Alari-Sowrang’ scheme and Rs 25 lakhs to each of the 113 venture schools of these newly included villages for their infrastructure development. He also announced that there would be a big-budget stadium in Batachipur area in memory of a Boro martyr who sacrificed his life during the BLT movement with an expenditure of Rs 5 crore. Earlier, he inaugurated a Bathou temple in the area completed with an amount of Rs 25 lakhs and laid the foundation stone of a school building of Batachipur Milan ME School.
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For spearheading the matter, 10 representatives from each of the 41 new villages were invited to the event. According to a warm welcome to the invited village representatives, Pramod Boro observed that the Bodos living in Biswanath and Sonitpur districts have made incredible sacrifices and contributions towards the BTR agreement. “There is an unmatched contribution by the Bodo people of Sonitpur and Biswanath districts towards the movement for their struggle of self-determination, and today they have got recognition of their struggle through this process,” Pramod Boro said, adding that through this agreement, a conducive environment is returning to this greater area. He also mentioned that phase-wise, every clause of the BTR agreement would be materialised. “Today we are inviting them here to talk face to face with them with a hearty intention to sort out their problems. They are placing their numerous issues in written form; we will try our best to address each and every issue,” he said.
Prior to it, attending the programme, ABSU president, Dipen Boro said that as per the BTR agreement, the state government assured to include 700 forest villages and Boro people dominated revenue villages of Sonitpur and Biswanath districts in BTR, which is partially done. On January 23, 2023, in the republic day programme, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that 60 Boro villages of the two districts would be included in the BTR area in the first phase; however, till date only 41 villages have been included. “ABSU urged the government to fulfill its commitment by including the remaining villages without any more delay. “On the other hand, we sincerely appeal to the government to fulfill each clause mentioned in the agreement, besides giving land rights to the people who are yet to get their land right through the implementation of the forest right act and expedite developmental activities in the greater area.
In the programme, BTR deputy chief, Gobinda Basumatary, was also present and spoke on the Bodo people’s sacrifice for their rights. The event held under the aegis of Sonitpur ABSU president, Jeet Swargiary, and conducted by its general secretary, Enosh Mochahary, was graced by a host of Boro intellectuals including EM, BTR, Dawboisa Boro, ex- MLA, Chandi Basumatary, ABSU adviser, Khwnkhra Swrgiary, organising secretary, Birdao Boro, Nijum Basumatary, Rajesh Basumatary, among others.
