Assam: Raijor Dal flags livelihood concerns after eviction drive in Silchar, questions rehabilitation plan for displaced traders

Raijor Dal has raised concerns over the rehabilitation of small traders affected by an eviction drive carried out by the administration in Silchar on November 15 urging authorities to provide alternative commercial spaces before removing their shops.

Reacting to the eviction drive on Sunday, Raijor Dal's Cachar district president, Javed Miader Laskar, said the party supported efforts to make Silchar cleaner, better organised and free from traffic congestion. However, he maintained that urban development should not come at the cost of the livelihoods of economically weaker sections of society.

Laskar said small shops were not merely physical structures but the primary source of income for several families, supporting their daily needs and children's education. He stressed that the administration should have a clear rehabilitation plan in place to ensure that affected traders do not lose their means of livelihood.

Raising questions over the administration's arrangements, Laskar sought clarity on where the traders whose shops had been demolished would be relocated and whether a formal rehabilitation plan had been prepared.

He also questioned who would take responsibility for the affected families if their shops were their only source of income. He said carrying out eviction drives without first identifying alternative locations for the traders could leave several families struggling to sustain themselves.

The Raijor Dal leader said development was necessary for Silchar, but it should be implemented in a manner that protects the interests of ordinary residents and small business owners.

He urged the administration to take responsibility for the rehabilitation of the affected traders and ensure alternative commercial spaces or livelihood arrangements for them. He also called for a balanced approach to urban development, saying that improving the city's infrastructure and appearance should go hand in hand with protecting the livelihoods of vulnerable sections of society.