KOKRAJHAR, Jan 2 – Dwellers along the Sankoch river in Assam have urged the authorities concerned to check the unabated encroachment by migrants from West Bengal especially in the forest lands on the Assam side along the West Bengal boundary. The public here have asked the State Government to take up the issue with the West Bengal authorities.
According to the information available here, a large portion of forest land under Ripu Mauza No. 1 lat around 113 No. pillar (khuti) of Gossaigaon sub-division of about 1000 Bighas of forest land has been under encroachment of the neighbouring State. Besides, around 2000 Bibhas of forest land of Dianamari area in Kachugaon Reserve Forest along the Sankosh river has also been under unauthorised occupation of inhabitants from West Bengal since long under the very nose of the department concerned.
The change of cause of Sankosh river has made the area easily accessible for the migrants of the neighbouring State without notice of the authorities concerned since the last decade. In the year 1995, a step for eviction however was initiated at the sub-division level, but nothing materialised. Jaraguri, Tapu area of Gossaigaon sub-division has almost become a de-facto territorial area of the State of West Bengal.
Confirmed sources revealed that the migrants of these area enjoys facilities provided by the State of West Bengal and these people are also issued Family Identify Cards from the authorities under the CPM-led Government of West Bengal with an ulterior motive to enhance their vote bank and also provide them resources at the cost of revenue of Assam. As a result of these, wanton forest destruction and illegal trading of forest product over inter-State border area has become a regular way of life for the economic survival of these people.
Surprisingly, even the names of this place has been changed to Purba Salmara. Moreover, the valuable timber of the age-old natural forest species like Sagun (Teak), Sishu, Titachapa, Sal etc are being smuggled to many places of North-Bengal adjacent to the Assam-Bengal border like Barobisha, Kumargram, Boxirhat, Kamakhyaguri and Salsalabari among others.
It may be mentioned here that SK Bwismuthiary, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) also expressed his grave concern over this unauthorised encroachment of West Bengal, and urged to the State Forest Minister, P Bordoloi, during his visit to Kokrajhar recently, to take up the matter made seriousness and prevent the encroachers from permanently occupying the forest land of Assam.