GUWAHATI, Oct 4: The Master Plan 2025 drawn by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authorities (GMDA) to give a facelift to the city has drawn flak from several quarters. In this connection, a protest meeting was organized today by the Himguri Area Development Committee against the identification of Garo Basti at Khanapara as a eco-sensitive forest reserve area in the Master Plan 2025. The protest meeting was led by Committee president Umesh Das.
The meeting was held in light of the prevailing fear among the residents of a probable evacuation following the identification of the area as a green belt. Green belt denotes open ground round the city that are to be left out of development activities. Under such circumstances, the people residing in the Garo Basti area since a long time will have to evacuate the place.
Mahanagar Unnayan Samiti president Subodh Sarma and secretary Biren Sarma were also present in the meeting. President Subodh Sarma said the Government cannot kick out the residents who have been paying regular taxes to the treasury. He was of the opinion that in case the area is declared as a eco-sensitive forest reserve, the residents should be allowed to stay back and the Government should engage them in the protection and preservation work of the area. He urged the people to unitedly stand against the Government decision which is not in their favour.
The area was previously under ward no. 54. But after the restructuring of wards, it now falls under ward no. 31, said Biren Sarma. The area which now falls under the Dispur Revenue Circle has been deprived of any development activities for all these years. In this regard, Himguri Area Development Committee president Umesh Das said they would undertake a complete survey of the area and submit a report to the State government. As per statistics, the area consists of a total of 137 households with a population of nearly 20,000. The Himguri Area Development Committee has been demanding land pattas for the dwellers since a long time (2003). But their demands have garnered no positive results till date. THE SENTINEL
The meeting was held in light of the prevailing fear among the residents of a probable evacuation following the identification of the area as a green belt. Green belt denotes open ground round the city that are to be left out of development activities. Under such circumstances, the people residing in the Garo Basti area since a long time will have to evacuate the place.
Mahanagar Unnayan Samiti president Subodh Sarma and secretary Biren Sarma were also present in the meeting. President Subodh Sarma said the Government cannot kick out the residents who have been paying regular taxes to the treasury. He was of the opinion that in case the area is declared as a eco-sensitive forest reserve, the residents should be allowed to stay back and the Government should engage them in the protection and preservation work of the area. He urged the people to unitedly stand against the Government decision which is not in their favour.
The area was previously under ward no. 54. But after the restructuring of wards, it now falls under ward no. 31, said Biren Sarma. The area which now falls under the Dispur Revenue Circle has been deprived of any development activities for all these years. In this regard, Himguri Area Development Committee president Umesh Das said they would undertake a complete survey of the area and submit a report to the State government. As per statistics, the area consists of a total of 137 households with a population of nearly 20,000. The Himguri Area Development Committee has been demanding land pattas for the dwellers since a long time (2003). But their demands have garnered no positive results till date. THE SENTINEL
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