BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 14th May 2024 : In a longstanding land occupation issue, 83 families have reportedly settled on the land owned by the Forest Department in Ward No. 5 of Pekucherra Gram Panchayat under the Panisagar subdivision for approximately 25 to 30 years. Despite ongoing efforts, the Forest Department has declared it infeasible to relocate these families.
During a recent inspection, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Animesh Das, along with IFS Suman Malla, North District Forest Officer Ashok Kumar, and other divisional officers and rangers, assessed the situation. “The families have established their lives here over decades, and uprooting them now would not only be challenging but also inhumane,” stated PCCF Das.
The families, originally from areas such as Dasda, Laljuri, Subhash Nagar, and Bara Haldi in Kanchanpur, claim they sought refuge on government land to preserve their dignity and safety amidst various settlements. “We had no choice but to settle here. Our lives in Kanchanpur were made unbearable, and we needed a place where we could live with respect and honor,” expressed a representative of the settlers.
Repeated attempts by the Forest Department to clear the land have been unsuccessful. The situation has been further complicated as the settlers, including several members of the Reang community, have expressed their distress over their previous living conditions in Kanchanpur.
The government’s stance on this sensitive issue remains to be seen, as does the potential for any alternative arrangements for the families. “Our priority is to find a humane solution that respects the rights of these families while also preserving the integrity of our forest lands,” concluded Divisional Officer of Dharmanagar.
The future of these families hangs in the balance as they await the government’s decision on their fate and the possibility of a new place they can call home.
