09-21-2012, 12:59 AM
Assamtribune
Sattra ( Ashram )
DCs asked to submit report by Aug 31
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Aug 25 ââ¬â The State Government has again directed the Deputy Commissioners of the districts to submit their reports by August 31 on the steps taken to free sattra and other religious institutionsââ¬â¢ land from encroachment.
An official press release here said that Minister, Revenue and Disaster Management Dr Bhumidhar Barman has laid stress on freeing the land of the sattra and other religious institutions from encroachment.
The State Government had earlier issued instructions to the DCs in this regard. But, no report from the DCs has been received by the Government so far on the matter. This has necessitated issuance of a fresh instruction to the DCs on the issue after their visiting such institutions, said the press release, quoting the Minister.
It is pertinent to mention here that according to the Asom Sattra Mahasabha (ASM), around 7,000 bighas of land belonging to various sattra institutions of the State are in the grip of the encroachers. It has alleged that 85 per cent of this sattra land is under the encroachment of the illegal migrants.
It has alleged that 39 sattras are affected by the encroachers. Worst affected among these institutions are ââ¬â Ram Rai Kuti Satrasal Sattra in Dhubri district, Rampur Sattra in Nagaon district, Adi Alengi Sattra at Bihapuria, Barpeta Sattra, Kobaikata and Ali Pukhuri Sattras in Morigaon district.
Ram Rai Kuti has 1,000 bighas of its land under encroachment, and of it, around 500 bighas located in the No Manââ¬â¢s land along the Indo-Bangla border, is under the direct encroachment of the Bangla nationals. Around 200 bighas of the sattraââ¬â¢s encroached land is occupied by the Hindu refugees.
The Rampur Sattra, a branch of the Narowa Balisattra in Nagaon district, has around 600 bighas of its land under encroachment, while Bardowa Sattra in the same district has around 200 bighas of its land under encroachment.
The Adi Alengi Sattra has around 450 bighas of its land under encroachment. Barpeta Sattra has around 460 bighas of its land under encroachment, while Kobaikata has around 120 bighas of its land and the Alipukhuri Sattra has around 186 bighas of its land under encroachment, former president of the ASM Bhadra Krishna Goswami had told The Assam Tribune on June 25 last. Goswami had led an ASM delegation that met Governor J B Patnaik that day on the issue.
In a separate move, Professor R D Choudhury, former Director General of the National Museum, had urged the Central Government some time back to take steps to protect the landed property of the Vaishnavite sattra institutions in the pockets dominated by the immigrant Muslims.
He had said in the letter to the Union Home Secretary some time back that the sattra land had been encroached upon by the immigrants.
Significantly, the Gauhati High Court had earlier directed the DCs and SPs of the districts concerned to take steps against those encroaching upon sattra land and also to provide full protection to the sattras and their people. The High Court directive came in the wake of a writ petition filed by advocate Kuntala Deka and others.
But it is alleged that the State Government has not been taking stringent measures to evict the encroachers and also to discourage further encroachment on sattra land.
Sattra ( Ashram )
DCs asked to submit report by Aug 31
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Aug 25 ââ¬â The State Government has again directed the Deputy Commissioners of the districts to submit their reports by August 31 on the steps taken to free sattra and other religious institutionsââ¬â¢ land from encroachment.
An official press release here said that Minister, Revenue and Disaster Management Dr Bhumidhar Barman has laid stress on freeing the land of the sattra and other religious institutions from encroachment.
The State Government had earlier issued instructions to the DCs in this regard. But, no report from the DCs has been received by the Government so far on the matter. This has necessitated issuance of a fresh instruction to the DCs on the issue after their visiting such institutions, said the press release, quoting the Minister.
It is pertinent to mention here that according to the Asom Sattra Mahasabha (ASM), around 7,000 bighas of land belonging to various sattra institutions of the State are in the grip of the encroachers. It has alleged that 85 per cent of this sattra land is under the encroachment of the illegal migrants.
It has alleged that 39 sattras are affected by the encroachers. Worst affected among these institutions are ââ¬â Ram Rai Kuti Satrasal Sattra in Dhubri district, Rampur Sattra in Nagaon district, Adi Alengi Sattra at Bihapuria, Barpeta Sattra, Kobaikata and Ali Pukhuri Sattras in Morigaon district.
Ram Rai Kuti has 1,000 bighas of its land under encroachment, and of it, around 500 bighas located in the No Manââ¬â¢s land along the Indo-Bangla border, is under the direct encroachment of the Bangla nationals. Around 200 bighas of the sattraââ¬â¢s encroached land is occupied by the Hindu refugees.
The Rampur Sattra, a branch of the Narowa Balisattra in Nagaon district, has around 600 bighas of its land under encroachment, while Bardowa Sattra in the same district has around 200 bighas of its land under encroachment.
The Adi Alengi Sattra has around 450 bighas of its land under encroachment. Barpeta Sattra has around 460 bighas of its land under encroachment, while Kobaikata has around 120 bighas of its land and the Alipukhuri Sattra has around 186 bighas of its land under encroachment, former president of the ASM Bhadra Krishna Goswami had told The Assam Tribune on June 25 last. Goswami had led an ASM delegation that met Governor J B Patnaik that day on the issue.
In a separate move, Professor R D Choudhury, former Director General of the National Museum, had urged the Central Government some time back to take steps to protect the landed property of the Vaishnavite sattra institutions in the pockets dominated by the immigrant Muslims.
He had said in the letter to the Union Home Secretary some time back that the sattra land had been encroached upon by the immigrants.
Significantly, the Gauhati High Court had earlier directed the DCs and SPs of the districts concerned to take steps against those encroaching upon sattra land and also to provide full protection to the sattras and their people. The High Court directive came in the wake of a writ petition filed by advocate Kuntala Deka and others.
But it is alleged that the State Government has not been taking stringent measures to evict the encroachers and also to discourage further encroachment on sattra land.