Haflong: The District Congress Committee in Dima Hasao, Assam, has strongly objected to the concept of ‘Deemed Forest’, urging the NC Hills Autonomous Council to reconsider the provision.
The ‘Deemed Forest’ concept allows the government to declare any area exceeding 2.5 acres with a tree density of 100 per acre, as well as stretches of land along roads and drains over 1 km long, as forests.
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This includes areas already recorded as forests in Revenue Land Records, regardless of ownership or recognition status.
The concept of “deemed forests” was introduced in response to the 1996 Supreme Court judgment in the TN Godavarman Thirumulpad case.
The judgement stated that forests should be protected regardless of their classification or ownership and recognized a broad definition of forests under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980.
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It also held that “forest land” includes areas recorded as forests in government records, regardless of ownership.
APCC GS Nirmal Langthasa expressed concerns that declaring Dima Hasao as a deemed forest would bring misery to the local population. The provision would affect not only the proposed limestone mining at Boro Lokhindong in Umrangso but also private cultivation lands.
Langthasa stated that the district’s unique circumstances, with most land already declared as reserve forests, warrant special consideration.
Given Dima Hasao’s status as a Sixth Schedule district, Langthasa stated that the authorities should consult with villagers and the council to decide whether to implement the deemed forest provision.