Latest news with #Rabhas
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Proposed Barduar satellite township sparks uproar, Rabha groups protest ‘land takeover'
Guwahati: The proposed 1500-acre Barduar satellite township development in Kamrup district's Palasbari revenue circle is facing opposition from Rabha organisations and indigenous community groups. The area, comprising tea gardens, paddy fields, wetlands and forests near the Meghalaya hills, has become a point of contention among its residents. Following the chief minister's office announcement about Himanta Biswa Sarma's review of urban infrastructure projects valued at USD 1 billion with GMDA and DoHUA officials, the All Rabha Students' Union (Arsu) raised objections. Despite heavy rainfall, hundreds of locals, along with Sangrami Krishak Sramik Sangha (SKSS), staged a protest march in Mirza on Wednesday, culminating at the Palasbari revenue circle office. Arsu's Kamrup district committee presented their grievances to the district commissioner through a memorandum, seeking land pattas for indigenous tribal families in Barduar tea estate's revenue villages 1, 2, and 3. Arsu Kamrup district secretary Ashok Nongbag said, "The message of establishing a satellite township in Barduar has sparked panic among the indigenous population in the Barduar area and surrounding villages. This project hampers the movement of the Rabhas for achieving its prime goal of enlisting the Rabha inhabited areas in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for greater autonomy, besides posing a negative impact on the socio-economic, daily livelihood, language, culture, and traditions of the indigenous communities in the Barduar area." The memorandum highlighted that approximately 2,100 families could face displacement from the proposed township. SKSS leader Dinesh Das advocated for prioritising land rights for riots and landless peasant families. The groups demanded title certificates under the Forest Rights Act 2006 for indigenous tribal families residing in Barduar's forest areas. Records show that Barduar was a significant kingdom in 16th-century Kamrup district under Rabha rule. Arsu cited Mirza Nathan's Baharistan-I-Ghaibi, documenting Barduar's prominence until Batuwa kings' reign. Tea cultivation began in 1861 under British rule, without proper land settlements for indigenous inhabitants. The memorandum read, "In 1922, the British govt handed over a vast area in Barduar to Tea & Timber Company without giving land rights to the indigenous families living in the same area." The protesters vowed to continue their opposition, reminiscent of their past resistance to NDRF training camps and metropolitan expansion proposals in this tribal-protected region.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Assam notifies policy to fight human trafficking, witch-hunting
The Assam government on Friday (May 16, 2025) announced the notification of a policy against human trafficking and witch-hunting, 'two crimes that disproportionately' affect women and girls. Taking to X, the Chief Minister's Office said the notification, issued by the Governor on May 6, would come into effect from the date the Assam State Policy to Combat Human Trafficking and End Witch-Hunting is published in the official gazette. 🚨 The Government of Assam takes a bold step towards justice and protection. The Assam State Policy to Combat Human Trafficking and End Witch-Hunting is now officially notified. A significant move to safeguard human rights and uphold dignity. — Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) May 16, 2025 The CMO said the notification was a 'significant move to safeguard human rights and uphold dignity'. The policy seeks to 'provide a safe and equal society wherein all individuals can claim their entitlements and access all services and lead a life free from all kinds of violence' through convergence and synergy among all departments to promote safety and security. The policy said Assam's geographical position – it borders six other northeastern States, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan – makes it critical in the case of human trafficking, an organised crime. Also Read | Over 10,000 cases of trafficking but only 1,031 convictions between 2018-2022 Witch-hunting, a social crime, has been a major issue among tea plantation workers and ethnic communities such as the Rabhas. The policy cites the Assam Witch Hunting Act of 2018, which makes witch-hunting a cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable offence. The law helped reduce the number of witch-hunting cases. According to data provided by the Assam Police, 32 cases of witch-hunting were registered between 2022 and 2024. 'In the above context, there is an urgent need to develop a well-designed comprehensive policy to cover all areas of intervention, ensuring prevention, protection and rehabilitation of survivors of trafficking and witch-hunting. Apart from ensuring the rights of the survivors, the area of preventing such crime and prosecuting culprits is also an area of urgent intervention,' the policy stated. The notification said the Department of Women and Child Development will be the nodal department for implementing the policy. The other departments will be designated as core or allied stakeholders. The policy entails forming dedicated committees at the State, district, and village levels to coordinate efforts on the ground and ensure effective intervention.
