Assam distributes 892 forest land titles to indigenous groups

Authorities handed over 892 land rights titles to indigenous communities under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, at Shanti Nijora Club in Bamunigaon on March 12. Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu led the ceremony, marking a key advance in protecting tribal land claims.

Deputy Commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra announced that 862 individuals and 30 societies from Bondapara, Singra, Bamunigaon, Rani, and Lakhra received the titles. These cover areas under West and East Kamrup forest divisions. The move brings the district total to 6,427 beneficiaries, supported by local administration and the Tribal Affairs Department. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier distributed 5,000 titles in nearby Chaygaon.

Pegu warned that forest degradation in districts like Dhubri and Goalpara, driven by encroachment, has sparked evictions. He stressed that indigenous presence sustains forests and noted Kamrup residents only recently gained Act benefits, 20 years after its passage.

The minister outlined eligibility, including provisions for titles without documents—relying on oral accounts, physical evidence, and village council resolutions under amended clauses 12 and 13.

Dignitaries present included West Kamrup Divisional Forest Officer Subodh Talukdar, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council Chairman Sonaram Rabha, several executive members, and Boko-Chaygaon Co-District Officer Priyanshu Bharadwaj.

Villagers from Boko, Chaygaon, Rani, and surrounding hills celebrated the milestone, which secures their ancestral forest ties.