How Did 30 Flood-Displaced Families in Assam Finally Secure Land After 33 Years?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 30 families received land after 33 years of displacement.
- Land allotment signifies a new beginning for these families.
- Government and local tea estate owners collaborated for rehabilitation.
- Each family was provided with legal land documents.
- Beneficiaries expressed hope for a better future.
Guwahati, Dec 18 (NationPress) In a long-awaited move to provide relief, 30 families from Kaitiya village in Assam’s Tinsukia district were granted land on Thursday, concluding a staggering 33 years of uncertainty following the devastating Brahmaputra floods and erosion incidents of 1992.
Sadiya MLA Bolin Chetia handed over official land allotment documents to the beneficiary families, many of whom had endured life in makeshift camps after losing their homes and farmland to river erosion. These families had been living in harsh conditions on a small area at Kordoiguri, facing challenges in accessing basic amenities and livelihood opportunities.
In his address, Chetia emphasized that the land distribution signifies a new beginning for the affected families.
“For 33 years, these families lived without security or stability. Today, they finally have land they can call their own. This is not just about land; it symbolizes the restoration of dignity and hope,” he remarked.
Among the beneficiaries, 25 families were living at No. 3 Kordoiguri Garigaon, four at Darjijan Muaribasti, and one family at Tipuk Simaluguri Bajraput Satra. Each family received legal land documents, ensuring permanent ownership and safeguarding against future displacement.
This rehabilitation initiative was made possible with the assistance of local tea estate owners. Ghanashyam Lahoti, owner of Kesaguri Tea Estate, donated 20 bighas of land, while Kishore Agarwal, owner of Brindaban Tea Estate, contributed four bighas for the families' resettlement. Chetia expressed his gratitude, calling their contributions a “commendable humanitarian gesture.”
The MLA reiterated the government's commitment to resettling individuals affected by floods and erosion in the region.
He recalled that earlier this year, in August, 101 landless families from Kaitiya village—also displaced by the 1992 floods—were rehabilitated in Sadiya. Each of those families received five bighas of agricultural land and one bigha of residential land at Ghurmura Ganeshbari.
One beneficiary, Rupali Gogoi, expressed her gratitude, stating that the land allotment has rekindled hope.
“For decades, we survived in temporary shelters. Owning land today provides us with security and a brighter future for our children,” she shared.