Guwahati, May 10: Opposition to the proposed resettlement of residents from Laika Dodhia in the Tirap area of Assam’s Tinsukia district intensified on Saturday, with local organisations and residents warning the state government against any move that could impact the Tirap Reserved Forest.
Several organisations from the Tirap-Jagun region under the 83rd Margherita Legislative Assembly constituency voiced concern over what they described as repeated attempts to relocate people from different parts of the state into the area. They alleged that earlier resettlement initiatives had already created apprehension among local communities.
The All Assam Tangsa Students’ Union (AATSU) strongly objected to the proposal and accused the government of attempting to damage a “century-old reserved forest” in the name of rehabilitation.
AATSU central executive committee president Nayung Mossang said the organisation was firmly opposed to any move to rehabilitate the Laika people inside the Tirap Reserved Forest. He urged the BJP-led Assam government, the forest department and the district administration to immediately abandon the proposed plan.
Mossang further warned that if the government went ahead with the proposal, the organisation, along with local residents, would launch “intense democratic protest movements” against the decision.
The rehabilitation of families displaced from the Laika and Dodhia forest villages has remained a contentious issue for several years, with concerns surrounding environmental protection and land rights continuing to dominate the debate.
