Jayanta Malla Baruah’s Meet Fails to Reassure Barduar Tea Garden Locals

While the concern of land justice has been simmering amongst the locals of the Barduar tea garden near Chandubi, a latest government proposal of a  township under GMDA at Barduar has sparked a fresh outcry.  

In the wake of the widespread protest and public concern, a meeting was held today in Guwahati called by Assam cabinet minister Jayanta Mallabaruah. Representatives of the locals and the Barduar Bagan Bhumi Patta Dabi Samiti were in talks with the minister. 

However, the meeting couldn’t achieve any solid outcome. Speaking to Pratidin Time, a local activist and a member of the ongoing land movement, Pakhiraj Rabha told that the minister failed to reassure them.

“The minister has said that there will be no movement after the talks. But, we stand firm to our demands and until those are achieved the movement will continue”—Pakhiraj Rabha remarked. 

The demands of the locals stand for permanent land holding (myadi patta) for those ‘rayotis’ who have lived in the area for decades and withdrawal of the township proposal under GMDA.

“Minister Jayanat Mallabaruah couldn’t give us any solid assurance, rather he told that he would fecilitate a meeting shortly with the chief minister on the matter”—Rabha told Pratidin Time. 

The Background

Recently, in a major push for land justice, 114 tenant families from the Barduar Tea Garden area under Palasbari Revenue Circle formally submitted applications under the Assam (Temporarily Settled Areas) Tenancy Act, 1971, seeking permanent settlement of the land they have inhabited for generations. The mass submission of Forms No. 5 and 6 was carried out today in the presence of local leaders and revenue officials, marking a historic moment in the long-standing struggle for land rights among the tea garden communities of lower Assam.

Spanning across three revenue villages—1 No., 2 No., and 3 No. Barduar Bagan—over 2,100 families, predominantly from indigenous tribal communities, have lived on these lands since before India’s independence.

This came at the wake of the finish of the land lease of the Barduar Tea Garden and the hearsay that Assam government would take the land under Assam tea corporation limited. 

However, putting a blind eye to the demands of the locals, the government came with a proposal of a township in the area. “There were surveys conducted by GMDA recently, which is agreed by minister Jayanta Mallabaruah. He told that this is a preliminary survey”—Pakhiraj Rabha said.

The satellite township has been proposed in an area of 1500 acres and this will bring the habitats under the township, Pakhiraj Rabha told, explaining the reason of the fear of the people. 

“We want that land rights are assured to the indigenous people of our area under the tenancy act, not under Basundhara or other such provisions”—Pakhiraj Rabha remarked.

ALSO READ: Barduar Tea Garden Tenants at Chandubi Seek Permanent Land Rights