Many organisations including Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and the All Tai Ahom Students Union (ATASU) have launched an economic blockade against Nagaland on Mariani-Nagajanka road in Jorhat.
The economic blockade has been launched in protest against encroachment by Nagaland administration inside the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest under Mariani Range of Jorhat Forest division since November 10.
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A source said mini trucks carrying essential commodities have been prohibited from entering Nagaland from the Assam side.
Also read: AASU threatens economic blockade against Nagaland if ‘encroachment’ of Assam land continues
The source, however, alleged that several big trucks carrying essential items were making their way to Nagaland from Amguri in Sivasagar district, making the blockade almost ineffective.
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The stalemate continues as both the Nagaland police, backed by their government refused to vacate the temporary hut set up in the forest area near Nagajanka and the Assam police too dug in their heels by erecting another camp nearby to stop further encroachment.
A team of the Jorhat unit of All Assam Students Union (AASU) recently visited the site to boost the morale of the Assam Police, who were positioned in difficult terrains and allegedly short of rations.
The AASU team had further threatened an economic blockade.
The Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association observed a 12-hour blockade on Sunday.
A district administration official said efforts to persuade the Nagaland administration to vacate the area by Nagaland armed policemen and dismantle the structure came to nought.
The officials representing Nagaland had said they would write to higher authorities and if the government accedes to the request then only they would dismantle the structure.
The official said the police force was deployed by the Jorhat district administration to deal with any kind of situation that may arise due to the ongoing row.
The official further said a close watch is being kept by the administration round the clock with senior district and police officials camping at the area and higher authorities of the Assam government being briefed on the situation.
A source said the structure had been erected on the disputed border area and was in violation of the Supreme Court directive to both sides to maintain status quo.
“The Nagaland administration maintains that it was a Covid care centre but it is just an excuse given the remoteness of the place,” sources said.