Assam News: Protests have now started against the Assam government’s plan to convert a large pasture land near Guwahati into a logistics park. The process of giving the Dorabhil pasture ground of Palashbari revenue area to a Kolkata-based company has been started. For this, on April 7, the Kamrup District Deputy Commissioner’s Office has also issued a notice of acquisition of 150 bighas i.e. about 49.59 acres of land. This area is adjacent to a wetland with a fragile ecosystem called Dorabhil. Local villagers and social organizations have described this decision as a direct attack on their livelihood and traditional lifestyle.
Livelihood of thousands of families in danger
Ashwini Majumdar, a member of the Dorabhil Village Grazing Field Protection Committee, said that this pasture area is the main source of livelihood for thousands of people from 21 villages. About 3,000 families involved in animal husbandry graze their animals on this land. During the monsoon season, this pasture merges with Dorabhil wetland and becomes a major base for fish farming, which provides livelihood to about 2,000 families. Another member named Abinash Kalita said that the soil of this land is of a special type, due to which about 500 families of 12 villages do pottery work. If the logistics park is built, their livelihood will be snatched away. Apart from this, about 1,000 farmers who cultivate on the fertile land nearby will also become unemployed.
There is a danger of impact on environment and culture too
The committee members said that due to the already existing industrial units around Dorabhil, the soil, water and air have already become polluted. Now the construction of this logistics park will further deteriorate the environmental situation and will also affect the health of the people. Apart from this, this pasture area has been a center of not only livelihood but also cultural and religious identity. For centuries, the ‘Suwari’ festival of seven villages and traditional fire festivals are celebrated here during Magh Bihu. It will not be possible to keep these traditions alive by removing them from this land. A local member named Deepak Kumar Das said that the traditional knowledge system of the people here is linked to this environment, which will be completely destroyed by this project.
Serious threat to biodiversity and ecological balance
The Dorabhil wetland and the surrounding pasture land are very rich in terms of biodiversity. Committee member Dipankar Thakuria said that this area is the habitat of many species including the Gangetic dolphin (national aquatic animal). During the monsoon, this land absorbs the flood water of Dorabhil, which prevents flooding in the surrounding villages. If 150 bighas of land is taken, then this natural security structure will also be destroyed. According to the committee’s report, 74 types of fish, 26 ornamental plants, 7 edible or medicinal plants, 6 organic fertilizer plants and 3 plants for domestic use are found in this area. Also, 10 mammalian species, 23 reptiles, 68 butterflies and many insects, amphibians and snails live here. Their destruction will not only disturb the ecological balance but will also increase human-wildlife conflict. The committee has made it clear that if the administration does not listen to them, they will start a mass movement and fight for their rights.
