BTC Chief Hagrama Assures Land Title Certificates to 'Genuine' Forest Dwellers

Kajalgaon, September 12, 2019:

The Chief of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Hagrama Mohilary on Thursday held a meeting with the representatives of the Gorkha Students Union in presence of Chirang district administration, on the ongoing distribution of land title deeds to forest dwellers under Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006.

Presiding over the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner, Chirang Gautam Talukdar briefed about the FRA Act and explained its guidelines for distribution of land title certificates to the forest dwellers as the Gorkha forest dwellers had apprehension of being left out from getting land rights under this Act.

"The purpose of the Act is to distribute forest land to the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers who have been residing in forest area for generations, at the rate of four hectares per family that are already under cultivation as on 13 December 2005, " he said.

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In his speech, BTC Chief Mohilary assured of giving land title certificates those who had been living in forest areas having genuine documents as per law.

As desired by the representatives of the Gorkha community, he asked the forest dwellers to apply for certificates at their village level committee first so as to start the process and then he also asked the district administration as well as Gorkha leaders and Bodoland People's Front party workers to organize massive awareness camps on the process of giving land title certificates to the genuine forest dwellers at some identified locations.

In the meeting, Brahmananda Patiri, Divisional Forest Officer, Chirang also addressed the gathering on the Forest Rights Act 2006 and it's implementation status in the district.

Among others, SDC Biswajit Goswami, SDO ( S ) Jayanta Sarkar, ACs Rinkhang Mashahary, Sangita Devi, Partha Pratim Baruah and District heads of the departments were present in the meeting.