KMSS gives cutoff date and list of demands for land right dispute

By- Correspondent | Date- August 9, 2011

Akhil Gogoi, the general secretary Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) today suggested their demands and suggestions on the much discussed issue of settlement and granting land to the people.

Following were some of the important demands and suggestions by Akhil Gogoi led KMSS:

• All people of Assam, including those who have come to Assam prior to March 25, 1971 should be treated as eligible to be granted land.
• People who have entered Assam after March 25, 1971, Indians or aliens, should not be granted land settlement rights in Assam.
• A family should be allotted land sizing between 1.5 katha to 3 katha for residential purpose and due care has to be taken that a single family is not allotted multiple land or plots.
• The cutoff date of this land grant should be either June 22, 2011 or the date of constitution of the land advisory committee constituted by minister, Dr Bhumidhar Barman. Commercial land is however excluded from this provision.
• All tribal people who are residing in hill and foothill areas traditionally should be granted farming rights over the land under their possession.
• All previous allotments over 3 katha of land should be cancelled, excluding those made to public organizations, regardless of the status of the beneficiary.
• All plots or lands in hills or wetlands which were allotted to builders or commercial organizations should be taken back.
• The power for granting land settlement rights should be bestowed upon the Gaon Sabha or Basti Sabha.
• All families must be made accountable for plantation of trees, checking erosion, unobstructed flow of water bodies like streams through its plot of land. Violation to these regulations should be penalized. Severe or repeated violations should lead one to losing land settlement rights.
• Each family should be charged Rs 10,000 as premium for a katha of land allotted to it in the hills and foothill areas. The poor families should be charged Rs 3,000 in this respect. Provision should be made to pay this premium in installments or through physical labour.

Akhil Gogoi also suggested that the money collected from allotment of lands should be deposited in the joint bank accounts of the revenue officers and the Unnayan Samitis concerned and spent only for developmental activities such as construction of roads.

Mentionable that the date of March 25, 1971 considered as the eligibility of people to be granted land rights is based on the Assam Accord signed in 1985 to end the Assam Agitation.