The Assam government has approved a plan prepared by the state forest department to rehabilitate 5,500 residents of Laika Dodhia forest villages in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in degraded reserve forest areas in Tinsukia and Lakhimpur districts.
A high-level meeting chaired by forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya on Tuesday also decided to form a sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister Jogen Mohan to monitor the on-ground implementation of the project, The Assam Tribune reported.
The subcommittee will visit Dodhia and Laika villages and apprise the people about the government’s plan.
As per reports, the forest department will initiate the online application to the ministry of environment and forest for diversion of the reserve forest areas to rehabilitate the villagers.
The revenue department has been directed to demarcate the land at the proposed sites where the villagers will be rehabilitated.
“This process will be completed within the first fortnight of February after which the shifting of the people will begin,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying.
The sectoral departments have been asked to provide all pertinent government schemes to the rehabilitated people after which the DCs will prepare an integrated action plan.
Around 135 hectares of land in Pabha reserve forest in Lakhimpur would be diverted to settle the inhabitants of Dodhia while 166 hectares in Paharpur reserve forest and 72 hectares in Namphai reserve forest in Digboi forest division would be diverted to settle people of Laika.
