Eviction drive at Batahghuli condemned

GUWAHATI, May 12 ? The Hindu Yuba Chattra Parishad, Asom, has termed the ongoing eviction drive at Batahghuli as a conspiracy aimed at safeguarding a particular section of encroachers while harnessing the indigenous people of the State. In a press release, the parishad alleged that while the authorities concerned had been turning a blind eye to the rampant encroachment by suspected foreigners at Kaziranga, Kurihamari, Kochmara, etc., it showed an unusual enthusiasm in committing atrocities on the local indigenous people under the pretext of eviction at Batahghuli. It is a move to protect the ?non-indigenous? voters in the State, the Parishad said and cautioned the government and the people to be on guard against such conspiracy hatched by anti-national elements.

Condemning the brutal killing and atrocities on innocent people during the eviction, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), Assam State committee said the attempt to evict the people who have been living there for a long time is totally unjust. Besides, even if the eviction was urgently necessary, it cannot be supported in any way without proper compensation, it said. The SUCI also demanded of the Government to institute a judicial inquiry into the killing and atrocities, and bring the culprits to the book.

The Purbanchaliya Loka Parishad (PLP), in a statement, warned that if the eviction drive at Botahghuli was relaunched, the consequences would be dangerous. It said the PLP will oppose tooth and nail any move that affects the interests of the indigenous people.

Meanwhile, the Appropriate Technological Mission, Assam (ATMA), an NGO, has urged the Government to evict all illegal encroachers in the reserve forests in and around Guwahati. In a press release, the ATMA said there the about 10 reserve forests having an area of around 281 sq km in and around the city which are under illegal encroachment. The Forest Conservation Act 1980 also declares illegal any kind of non-forest use of reserve forests. Moreover, the human habitation in the reserve forest areas is not only destroying the forests, but is also creating erosion in the hill slopes resulting in flash floods and waterlogging in the city, it said.