Assam’s Empowering Decision: Denotifying Forests and Granting Land Rights to 20,000 Residents Sparks Hope

The Assam government has decided to denotify three Proposed Reserve Forests (PRFs) in the Tinsukia district to allow over 20,000 residents to obtain land rights, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced. During a Cabinet meeting led by Sarma, it was approved to convert PRFs into revenue villages, enabling locals to claim land ownership.

The specific forests affected by this decision are Talpathar, covering 170 hectares, Mohongpathar with 466 hectares, and the 1st Addition to Duarmarah spanning 113 hectares. At a press conference, Sarma explained that since people in these areas were not receiving land rights due to PRF restrictions, the conversion into revenue villages would address this issue. He described the Cabinet’s approval as a significant step toward alleviating the distress faced by local residents.

This decision comes amidst concerns raised by the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, which indicated a reduction of nearly 84 sq km in Assam’s forest cover between 2021 and 2023. The state’s total area under forest and tree cover is now reported to be 30,415.01 sq km. The government’s move reflects a balancing act between addressing human settlement needs and managing environmental conservation challenges.

Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-to-denotify-three-proposed-reserve-forests-grant-land-rights-to-20000-residents-1163960-2025-01-31?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-01-31 22:47:00