Assam govt announces pre-poll sops for Laika-Dodhia protesters

GUWAHATI: Having failed to rehabilitate the villagers of Laika-Dohia forest villages of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, the Assam government today announced financial grant of Rs 1 lakh to each of 1300 households of the two villages on the eve of its own deadline to find a solution to the impasse.

Talking to newspersons at Jagiroad near here, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced the appeasement sop saying: “We are aware of the immense hardship the people of Laika-Dodhia are going through. We have decided to give Rs 1 lakh to each of the 1300 families to build their houses. We will spend Rs 13 crore in this initiative. We are making all efforts to find an early solution to their demands.”

Sonowal had set a deadline of January 31 to rehabilitate the villagers who have been staging a demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Tinsukia since December 21. The villagers, mostly belonging to the indigenous Mising community, have threatened even to boycott the coming Asssembly elections if they are not provided a permanent settlement at the earliest.

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The influential Takam Mising Porin Kebang has been spearheading the agitation.

The residents of the forest villages, who had migrated from Murkongselek area of adjoining Dhemaji district following erosion of their habitats after the great earthquake of 1950, have been deprived of all amenities, including electricity and healthcare, after their villages became part of the national park. Their demand for a permanent settlement in an alternative location has been a long pending issue.

The protesting villagers have threatened to intensify their agitation if the government fails to meet their demand by the self-imposed deadline. With state assembly elections notification expected by mid-February, the state government hardly has a fortnight to decide the fate of the villagers.