The All Assam Tangsa Students Union (AATSU) has opposed the proposed rehabilitation of flood-affected families from Laika in parts of the Tirap Tribal Belt in Assam’s Tinsukia district, raising concerns over the possible impact on the region’s ecological and demographic balance.
Addressing a press conference at Mungkaam village under the Margherita constituency on June 11, leaders of the student organisation expressed reservations over reports that the state government is considering the resettlement of around 334 displaced families from Laika in the Kenia, Balijan and Phaneng areas.
AATSU president Nayung Mossang said the proposed relocation could adversely affect the area’s environmental ecosystem, including its flora and fauna. While acknowledging the prolonged suffering faced by families displaced by floods and erosion, the organisation maintained that rehabilitation should not take place within the Tirap Tribal Belt.
The student body called upon the government to identify suitable land elsewhere in Tinsukia district for the permanent settlement of the affected families. According to the union, any rehabilitation plan should ensure relief for the displaced people without compromising the environmental integrity and cultural identity of the tribal belt.
Union leaders stressed that a balanced and sustainable approach was necessary to address the issue and urged the authorities to explore alternative locations that would not disturb the existing ecological and demographic structure of the region.
The question of rehabilitating residents from Laika, an area repeatedly affected by floods and erosion, has remained under discussion for several years. With AATSU now voicing its opposition, the debate surrounding the permanent resettlement of the displaced families has gained renewed attention.
