Barduar Tea Garden Tenants at Chandubi Seek Permanent Land Rights

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.

Yet, only around 600 families currently possess temporary tenancy records, leaving the vast majority in legal limbo with no formal claim to the land they till and live on. This systematic denial of land regularization has led to decades of socio-economic insecurity for these marginalized populations.

The Barduar Bagan Land Pattani Demand Committee, spearheading the initiative, submitted the tenancy forms to the Revenue Circle Officer of Palasbari, requesting not only formal acknowledgment of receipt but also immediate administrative action toward granting permanent settlement rights. The event saw participation from tenant representatives and community leaders, including Kamal Rabha, Narayan Rabha, Gajen Chandra Rabha, Aditya Nag, Gobinda Rabha, and Nripen Sangma.

During the submission, key revelations underscored the urgency of the matter. According to Circle Office, a re-survey of the Barduar Tea Garden lands is currently underway following a directive from the Chief Minister, signaling a potential shift in the state's approach to long-standing tenancy issues. The Circle Officer noted that this re-survey is based on updated data and aims to correct past oversights in land documentation.

Additionally, the General Manager of the concerned revenue department has personally visited the area to collect comprehensive information on land usage and occupancy, reinforcing the seriousness of the government’s renewed scrutiny. Significantly, officials revealed that the Barduar Tea & Timber Co Ltd., originally leased in 1922 for a 99-year period, technically expired in 2022. Despite this, the leaseholder continues to operate the estate, prompting growing calls for the state to reclaim the land and initiate redistribution to rightful occupants.

Organizers of the event confirmed that the submitted forms will be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup District and that follow-up inspections by revenue officials are expected in the coming weeks.

For the residents of Barduar Tea Garden, today's initiative represents more than a bureaucratic procedure—it is a collective assertion of dignity, belonging, and the right to land that has been home to generations. As the state gears up for policy shifts in land governance, the eyes of Barduar’s people remain fixed on the promise of long-denied justice.