Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has announced Rs 1 lakh one-time financial assistance to 1300 families residing in the two forest villages of Laika-Dodhia inside Dibru-Saikhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

The announcement was made by the Assam CM while addressing the All Assam Tribal Sangha’s general conference at Makaria in Morigaon district on Saturday.

“Our Government has taken measures for permanent rehabilitation of the indigenous people of Laika-Dodhia. Around 1,300 affected families will be provided Rs 1 lakh each by the Government,” CM Sarbananda Sonowal announced.

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The two villages which are located inside the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park have been the settlement of families who were displaced by the earthquake of 1950.

Laika falls under the Tinsukia district and Dodhia in adjoining the Dibrugarh district.

The villagers, who belong to the indigenous Mising tribe, mostly displaced people from Dhemaji and Dibrugarh districts, have been residing in the two forest villages for the last 70 years.

However, since India’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 prohibits any kind of human settlement within a national park, no development activities have been carried out in the two villages.

On December 30, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal constituted a committee to find a logical and everlasting solution for the rehabilitation of the households of Laika and Dodhia villages.

The chief minister asked the environment and forest and revenue department to permanently rehabilitate the families by January 31 (Sunday).

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For the rehabilitation of the residents of Dodhia, the government has proposed Lakhimpur’s Adhkhona-Adielani area under the Harmoti range and for the rehabilitation of the people of Laikia, the government has given land at Namphai reserve forest.

The villagers of Laika and Dodhia have been protesting seeking immediate rehabilitation of around 1,480 families.