Assam shelves satellite township survey near Tata Semiconductor project after tribal protests

The Assam government on May 18 halted an ongoing survey for a proposed satellite township near the upcoming Tata semiconductor project in Morigaon district following protests by Tiwa and Bodo community groups.

According to an official order issued by Morigaon District Commissioner Anamika Tewari, the survey work linked to the proposed township has been cancelled with immediate effect after objections were raised by several organisations.

The administration had been conducting surveys in Sindhisar, Naldhara and Bihita villages near Jagiroad to prepare a relocation and rehabilitation proposal for the planned township project.

The proposed move triggered strong resentment among tribal residents, who feared eviction from villages located in the Gobha tribal belt.

The All Tiwa Students' Union along with other tribal organisations staged protest rallies over the last three days demanding complete cancellation of the township project and not merely suspension of the survey work.

Officials said the satellite township was being planned near the upcoming Tata Electronics Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility.

The semiconductor unit, being set up with an investment of Rs 27,000 crore, is expected to manufacture up to 48 million semiconductor chips per day using advanced packaging technologies including flip chip and Integrated System in Package (ISIP).