DIPHU, Sept 11: Indigenous Land Rights Protection Committee (ILRPC) chastised Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) for not providing land pattas to indigenous people and described Karbi Anglong as a ‘land on planet Mars’. The panel, which was set up by Assam government, visited Karbi Anglong on Monday to review the status of land right of the indigenous people of the hill district.
The panel headed by former chief election commissioner (CEC) Hari Shankar Brahma held a meeting with officials of the council at Circuit House, where representatives of social organisations, village headmen were present.
“Mikir Hills District Council was set up in 1952. It has been 65 years since then and still indigenous people do not have land pattas, as if these people are on planet Mars. The indigenous communities are living here just like before without land pattas. But people should know the benefit of having land pattas. With land pattas one can approach banks for housing loan, agriculture loans etc,” Brahma said.
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Brahma asked the KAAC authority to come up with an action plan each year to provide land pattas to indigenous people, who are residents of this place. Asking KAAC to have a sub-registrar so that starting from land, other registration can be done, he said it is the duty of KAAC authority to protect its land and the state government will not come down to do it for them.
While enquiring about the revenue system under KAAC, Committee member and retired IAS officer Rohini Kr Baruah asked EM for land and revenue, Rupsing Teron as to how people coming from outside get land and pattas for building their houses.
He also asked as to how the indigenous communities do not have land pattas and why KAAC authority has not issued land pattas to them while on the people from outside can posses land and their pattas.
Baruah also asked the concerned EM as to what have KAAC done in protecting the land of indigenous communities. The Committee members said selling, lease, mortgage, gift and any form of land transfer from a tribesman to a non-tribal is very much illegal and cannot be done. The KAAC authority should be aware of this, they said.
EM Teron said revenue staff needed to be trained and a large amount of fund is required for it. The KAAC authority has also taken a decision to cancel the lease to individuals and the order will be issued soon to the land owners to take back the leased land.
He also mentioned the problems of land in inter-state and inter-district borders of the two districts of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.
Sixth Schedule Implementation Committee (SSIC) advisor, JI Kathar said the KAAC has no land laws of its own and followed the Assam Land Requisition and Acquisition Act, 1951, which is not application to Sixth Schedule areas of Karbi Anglong. The non-tribal people coming from outside at any time are getting land and land pattas and also political rights as well. They are snatching the land and political rights of the indigenous people of the place. The KAAC authority has done nothing for protection of land of tribal people as the council is afraid to go against the will of non tribal people living in the district.
ILRPC members senior lawyer, Anil Bhattacharjee and vice chairman, Red Cross Society Padmashree Ajay Kr. Dutta were also present in the meeting.
