Overview:
The organisation alleged that revenue department have already initiated surveys and issued notices for the proposed Aerocity and township projects in the Azara and Palasbari revenue circles
Guwahati: The Nikhil Rabha Jatiya Parishad (NRJP), an apex body of Rabha community, has strongly opposed the Assam government’s proposed Aerocity, Satellite township and Ukiam river dam projects in the Azara-Palasbari area, alleging that they threaten the land, livelihoods and cultural identity of indigenous communities.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, NRJP president Babul Chandra Rabha and general secretary Gobinda Rabha accused the Assam government of pursuing large-scale land acquisition without consulting the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, local Gram Sabhas or affected residents.
The organisation alleged that revenue department have already initiated surveys and issued notices for the proposed Aerocity and township projects in the Azara and Palasbari revenue circles. It claimed that the projects involve the acquisition of extensive agricultural land, forest areas and ancestral settlements within the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area.
According to the NRJP, the move violates the constitutional and legal rights of indigenous communities, particularly those residing in Tribal Belts and Blocks. It argued that land acquisition without the consent of constitutional bodies and local communities is unconstitutional and amounts to an attack on the land rights of indigenous people.
The organisation said land in the region is not merely an economic asset but forms the basis of the indigenous communities’ identity, livelihood and culture. It warned that large-scale acquisition of farmland would permanently affect the economy of thousands of families dependent on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry and forest resources.
The NRJP claimed that around 2,662 bighas of land in villages including Pachaniyapara, Matikutuni, Jowe, Deorali, Jangalipara and Kamargaon in the Azara revenue circle have been identified for acquisition. It further alleged that another 4,307 bighas of fertile agricultural land in Maliata, Satikorpa, Lochona and Khena Alibari under the Palasbari revenue circle are also proposed to be acquired.
The organisation noted that residents of the region had earlier surrendered significant portions of agricultural land for railway infrastructure, Assam Rifles establishments and National Highway-17, resulting in a steady decline in cultivable land.
The NRJP also raised concerns over the proposed Palasbari Growth Centre, alleging that despite earlier assurances from the chief minister that the Barduar Bagan township project would not proceed, the bidding process finalised in February 2026 has created uncertainty among more than 2,100 families in the area.
The organisation further alleged that nearly 500 families in villages such as Pachaniyapara and Deorali had already been evicted without adequate compensation or rehabilitation, describing it as a violation of the constitutional right to life.
Expressing concern over the proposed Ukiam River Dam project, the NRJP said the dam could significantly affect downstream agriculture, fisheries and biodiversity by altering the river’s natural flow. It alleged that no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report has been made public and demanded that the project should not proceed without the informed consent of local communities.
The organisation placed several demands before the government, including the immediate cancellation of land acquisition for the Aerocity and township projects, withdrawal of the proposed Satellite Township at Barduar Bagan, publication of the EIA and SIA reports for the Ukiam River Dam, mandatory consent from the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Gram Sabhas and local residents before any land acquisition, and adequate compensation and rehabilitation for evicted families.
It also demanded protection of indigenous ancestral lands, wetlands, tribal belts and agriculture-based livelihoods, besides urging the government not to alter the demographic character of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area.
The NRJP warned that if the government fails to initiate discussions with local communities and the autonomous council, it would launch a mass agitation in collaboration with other organisations, including the Sangrami Krishak-Shramik Sangha and the Anti-Eviction Land Rights Struggle Committee, to oppose the projects.