Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced plans to bolster the state’s land laws, aligning with Central government suggestions, to safeguard the rights of indigenous groups residing near heritage sites. The focus is on maintaining the original essence of these areas and preventing demographic and cultural alterations. Sarma emphasized the need to fortify land regulations to shield indigenous communities and preserve the unique identity of heritage locations.
The Assam Cabinet has greenlit amendments to the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, aiming to impose stricter controls on land transfers and registrations near designated heritage sites. These changes are intended to prevent haphazard land dealings in environmentally and culturally sensitive regions, ensuring the protection of indigenous inhabitants’ interests. The amendments are set to establish a more robust legal framework for overseeing land ownership and transfers around heritage sites, with a primary goal of conserving the historical, cultural, and social fabric of these areas.
The proposed modifications are part of a broader strategy by the Assam government to safeguard indigenous land rights through various legal and administrative actions. Efforts include crackdowns on encroachments in reserved forests, government lands, and other protected zones, alongside policy formulations to uphold the welfare of indigenous populations. The strengthened provisions are designed to strike a balance between heritage conservation and sustainable development, preventing encroachments and unregulated commercial activities in safeguarded regions.
