Mizoram: Landowners call off stir as government assures to address their plight

Landowners in Mizoram’s Kolasib district, which borders Assam, called off their agitation on Wednesday evening, following assurances from the state government to address their concerns, a leader of the Kolasib District Land Owners' Association (KDLOA) said.

The decision to end the blockade came after the Kolasib Deputy Commissioner assured the protesters that he would look into their demands at the state level.

The landowners were particularly encouraged by news that the government is pursuing action as per the direction of the Supreme Court to revoke the 1965 Roadside Reserve Forest notification, which has significantly impacted their land rights.

Over 2,000 landowners along NH-6 and NH-306, between Vairengte and Mualkhang, had launched an indefinite blockade on NH-306, a vital artery linking Mizoram with Assam. Their demands focused on resolving longstanding land ownership disputes and lifting a freezing order on lands they assert are privately owned.

The agitation began around 6 am when the landowners blocked NH-306 at Sethawn. Despite the protests, Mizoram's connectivity to the rest of the country remained largely unaffected, with vehicles continuing to travel along the national highway, a senior police officer confirmed.

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To maintain order, the government deployed police personnel to the protest site, ensuring traffic flow was minimally disrupted. However, some minor injuries were reported due to scuffles between police and agitators.

The KDLOA claimed that their lands along NH-306 and NH-6 have been designated as Roadside Reserve Forest (RRF) by the state forest department since 2020, effectively freezing these properties.

The Centre had previously approved a widening project for NH-306 and NH-6 in the Aizawl district, with the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) assigned to execute it.

However, the project was stalled due to ongoing disputes between the state forest and revenue departments.

The KDLOA contended that when the widening project was announced, the forest department declared an 800-metre strip on either side of the highways as RRF.

It also urged the state government to repeal the RRF notification of 1965 and expedite the widening of the highways into four lanes.

Recently, the Supreme Court directed the Gauhati High Court to expedite its decision regarding the RRF notification within three months and suggested that Mizoram's chief secretary convene a meeting with the secretaries of the forest and revenue departments to resolve the dispute.