The land allotted to ATDC allegedly belongs to local Adivasis since ages; the site is also a habitat of wild animals
A controversy has erupted over the move to establish two 5-star hotels –Tata Group’s and Chicago-based Hyatt Hotel Corporation – to promote tourism in the state. Under particular scrutiny is the proposed Hyat Hotel site at Ingley Pothar near Hatikhuli tea state, which is an area lying between Kaziranga National Park and the Karbi Anglong Hills.
The land allotted to the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) for the hotel allegedly belongs to the local Adivasi residents and the government has “illegally” occupied the land for the hotel project. Along with the land ownership debate, there is also a concern regarding disturbing the habitat of the animals of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
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GPlus team visited the area on July 21 and saw that the proposed site was fenced and guarded by armed police personnel.
The security personnel did not allow the GPlus team to enter the area saying, “We have orders not to allow anyone to enter the area, please talk to our officer.” The security personnel did not allow the GPlus team to even take pictures, but pictures and videos of the area were taken from a distance with zoom lens. A signboard installed near the area said, “The land belongs to ATDC”.
The officer in-charge arrived after a while and asked for the identity cards of all the members of GPLus team, and said, “We have strict orders not to allow anyone enter the area.” There was also some construction work going on, so when questioned what the work was for, the officer said, “It is just the construction for security personnel’s barrack.”
However, Manoj Gowala, a labourer working in Hatikhuli Tea Estate and a local resident, said the land belonged to the Adivasi people. “This land belongs to the Adivasi people of the area, mostly tea garden labourers, and have been occupied by the government,” he told GPlus adding that the families have miyadi land patta, but still they are not allowed to enter their land. Gowala said 45 families, who have been sustaining for generations on the crop from the area, are not allowed to enter their own agricultural land. He claimed he owns 7 bighas of land there.
Hatikhuli Inglay Pothar is located near the Kohora range of Kaziranga, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lokhu Gowala, a local resident, talking to GPlus said, “My house, which I had recently constructed on my land, was demolished by the government and they have captured the area for the hotel,” adding that there was a huge protest against the government’s move but the area was captured by force by security personnel and local administration.
“We even went to the circle officer and the district commissioner of Golaghat, but did not get any help,” said
Lokhu Gowala added that in one of the meetings with the district administration they were also offered a compensation of Rs. 1.5 lakh but they rejected it. Lokhu said they will keep protesting and if required take legal help to save their age-old piece of land.
A local activist and member of Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee, Pranab Doley, talking to GPlus said that the demolition of Lokhu Gowala’s house is an attack on the people of Kaziranga, who not only cultivated for themselves but also maintain a harmonious relationship with wild elephants, allowing them to feed on their crops.
Doley said, “Government’s move is illegal.” He said that sub divisional land allotment committee headed by the local MLA (Atul Bora) identified 60 bighas of land and allotted it to the ATDC for the hotel project in December 2022. “The locals did not want to give the land which belongs to them legally,” said Doley adding that the locals will keep protesting and will also take legal help. He said the local administration does not have any answer as to how the ATDC took over the land.
A senior official of ATDC talking to GPlus said, “The land was allotted to us by the government,” adding only the district administration can say to whom the land belonged.
The district commissioner of Golaghat Dr. P Uday Praveen talking to GPlus said, “The allegations are false and the land belongs to the government,” adding that some parties came claiming ownership of the land but whenever they were asked to show papers they did not have anything to show. He also said that only 30 bighas of government land was allotted to the ATDC for the hotel project.
Other than ownership issue, the proposed site also has issues related to animal habitat.
A senior official of the forest department said that though the proposed site is not a notified animal corridor, but it is a highland and habitat of elephants, particularly during floods.
Earlier this month, the Assam Environmental NGO Forum had written to the Assam chief minister to shift the proposed five star hotel project from Ingley Pothar to somewhere in Bokakhat or Jakhalabanda.
In a letter to the chief minister they (the forum) highlight the importance of these areas for elephants, rhinos, tigers, and other wildlife, especially during floods. Disrupting these natural pathways could have disastrous consequences for both animals and nearby communities.
The founder of the forum, Moloy Baruah, told GPlus, “We did not receive any reply from the chief minister, but we are hopeful that the project will be shifted from Ingley Pothar.”
Hyatt is not the only five-star hotel chain looking to develop a hotel next to Kaziranga Park. Environmentalists are also worried about a five star resort proposed inside Hathikhuli Tea Estate. They feel even that will affect animal movements.
Another forest official said that it will be difficult to get clearance to build hotel or resort in Hathikhuli area as it falls within 10 kilometres of the national park where there cannot be any construction, according to the Supreme Court.
So the proposed five star hotel project is mired in controversy and concerns.
