ITANAGAR, 19 Jun: The Banderdewa Circle Border Committee (BCBC) has submitted a memorandum to the chief minister, requesting him to give necessary direction to the ICR deputy commissioner to issue land possession certificates (LPC) and land allotments to settlers residing in villages and colonies notified by the state government within the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR), without requiring a no objection certificate (NOC) from the forest department.
The committee also appealed to the chief minister to initiate the process for de-reserving the Durpong reserved forest, especially for the ICR, including Banderdewa, Nirjuli, Naharlagun, and Itanagar.
Highlighting the evolution of the state and its capital since the Ahom kingdom and the British era, the memorandum stated that in 1979, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh unilaterally declared the capital region (Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, and Banderdewa) as part of the Durpong reserved forest and wildlife sanctuary under the provisions of the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891.
Only small pockets within Banderdewa, Naharlagun, and Itanagar were designated as de-reserved areas for the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh, while 14 square kilometres of forest land under the Durpong reserve were de-reserved for Chakma refugee settlers in Chessa-Hollongi, which is two times larger than what was de-reserved for the indigenous people of the ICR, the memorandum said.
“This glaring disparity has led to the perception that refugee settlers were given greater privileges and consideration than the native inhabitants of the capital region,” the committee said.
The committee alleged that this action was influenced by central government officials and was taken without due foresight regarding the future urban expansion needs of the capital.
It said that the ICR was identified and declared as the capital site prior to the issuance of the 1979 gazette notification that declared the area as Durpang reserve forest and wildlife sanctuary.
“This occurred during the period when Arunachal Pradesh was still a union territory under the administrative control of the Government of India,” the memorandum said.
The memorandum stated that in 1980, the Government of India enacted the Forest Conservation Act, which effectively revoked the powers of state governments to unilaterally declare or de-reserve forest areas and wildlife sanctuaries – powers that were previously exercised under the Assam Forest Regulation of 1891.
Following the enactment of this law, settlers in the ICR faced severe hardships due to the prior gazette notification issued by the state government declaring the region as Durpang reserve forest and wildlife sanctuary, the memorandum added.
