NEW DELHI, July 2? Assam Government is likely to constitute an expert committee to examine the entire gamut of issues involv-ing encroachment of forest land in the State and formulate an Action Plan. This was conveyed at the Congress party?s Manifesto Review Committee meeting here this morning by Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi. The meeting was attended by Dr. Manmohan Singh, AICC general secretary in-charge for Assam, Mohsina Kidwai, general secretary, Oscar Fernandes besides Assam Congress chief, Paban Singh Ghatowar, took stock of the implementation of the promises made by Congress party in its election manifesto. What was of significance was that the meeting discussed the recent eviction drives launched by the State Government that triggered a massive hue-and-cry in the State and word of which reached Party High Command?s ears. The Chief Minister gave a detailed account of the situation and the measures proposed to be taken by his Government to tackle the encroachment problem.
According to sources in the party, Assam Government has proposed to constitute an Expert Committee under chairmanship of eminent scientist, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. But he is reportedly not very keen on taking up the assignment as a result of which the State Government may be forced to look elsewhere, party sources added. Apart from having the issue studied threadbare the presence of an eminent scientist would have also given credibility to State Government?s case when it files its affidavit before the Supreme Court, sources observed. Chief Minister, Sri Gogoi talking to this newspaper soon after his meeting at the AICC headquarters said that it has been decided that an Expert Committee would be appointed under the chairmanship of State Forest Minister, Pradyut Bordoloi to examine the issue and finalise the ?Action Plan?.
All those people who have settled in forest land on or before 1980 may be given permanent settlement and the rest evicted, Sri Gogoi said. The Government is exploring the possibility of getting these settlers engaged in forest related business activities encouraging them to go for planned aforestation, Sri Gogoi said. All these would be part of the Action Plan that is to be chalked out, Chief Minister said underlining the need to involve the encroachers in developing the forest land.
The recent eviction drives that snowballed into a major political controversy, however, has left the State Government in a spot because of the Supreme Court?s verdict on encroachment on forest land. That the Congress Central leadership sought a detailed account from State leadership itself indicated the gravity of the situation. The Chief Minister said the State Government has no option but to evict those who settled down post 1980. ?Our forest cover is at an all time low of 16 per cent and we are the only State in the region which has not submitted an Action Plan to the Supreme Court?, Sri Gogoi said.