Bishnu Rana
TEZU, Apr 11:
The proposed establishment of AYUSH medical and college at Shivajinagar road area or locally known as Tezubaa where about 200 indigenous families have been settled for the last 30 years has given rise to hostilities as residents allege they were not taken into confidence.
Committee of affected members of AYUSH medical college (CAMAM) in a written letter to the Deputy Commissioner asserted that the Medical and College requires huge areas of land however the proposed site is inhabited by local people and unwillingness of the inhabitants to part with the land has raised hostility.
It said that for the government to set up any institution or construction needs consent of the occupants; regrettably no such approach was made. “Most unfortunate was that the Land Management department declared the land as unauthorized which hurt the sentiments of the poor local dwellers”, it alleged in the letter.
Claiming their settlement as legitimate, the letter also quoted the Gazetteer of India (Extraordinary) Ref. The Schedule Tribe & other Traditional Dwellers Act 2006 (recognizance of Forest Rights) and henceforth we have every right to settle on the same forest land that we are dwelling since decades.
The committee further alleged that few influential names were taken into confidence and rest more than half of the proposed area who have built OBT, SPT and RCC structures including farmers were declared in dispossession of land. The CAMAM said that, they welcome every development in the area but it should be according to the approval of the landowner.