Assam government to rehabilitate Laika-Dodhia indigenous people by January 31

GUWAHATI

The Assam government has constituted a ten-member committee to find ways for relocation and rehabilitation of families currently living at Laika and Dodhia villages under Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district within a month.

The committee, led by the State Environment and Forest minister as its chairperson, comprises revenue and disaster management minister as its member and principal secretary, forest as its member secretary besides MPs, MLAs and other officials.

Villagers of Laika and Dodhia in Tinsukia district have been camping at Lezaihola Borguri near the office of the Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner for several days, seeking immediate rehabilitation of over 1400 families.

Chairing a high-level meeting here on December 30, Sonowal directed the environment and forest department to find out modalities in close coordination with the revenue department and rehabilitate the families elsewhere by January 31, 2021.

In response to earmarking of new land for permanent rehabilitation of the families, the Chief Minister asked the environment and forest department to conduct a survey and complete it within one week so that the rehabilitation process could be started emergently.

He asked the committee to design a rehabilitation package to include needs of drinking water, electricity, immediate medical requirements, etc of the rehabilitated families.

(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)