Protest against tribal land transfer for major mining and power projects in Assam’s Umrangso on January 31, 2026.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Political parties and social organisations in central Assam’s Dima Hasao district have accused the State government and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) of systematically transferring tribal land to corporate interests, warning of large-scale displacement in violation of constitutional safeguards.
In a memorandum submitted to Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya after a protest rally at Umrangso on Saturday (January 31, 2026), indigenous representatives led by Congress leader Bapojith Langthasa urged him to invoke his special powers under the Sixth Schedule to halt what they described as illegal land alienation for mining, cement manufacturing, and hydropower projects.
Thousands of protesters gathered at Umrangso, opposing land allotments that they said undermine customary land rights and the autonomy guaranteed to tribal areas under the Constitution.
According to the memorandum, more than 9,000 bighas of tribal land have been allotted for limestone mining in Umrangso over the past two years, affecting at least seven villages. Land has also allegedly been allotted to major cement companies, including Ambuja Cements (now part of the Adani Group), Dalmia Bharat, Star Cement, and JK Lakshmi Cement.
The groups claimed that several of these allotments overlap with the Krungming Reserve Forest and a recognised Key Biodiversity Area, home to the endangered white-rumped vultures and a roosting expanse of migratory Amur falcons. The area also has several elephant corridors.
They alleged that mining and industrial activities have already left many tribal families homeless, while compensation has been diverted to fictitious beneficiaries. At least 77 genuine tribal households, with council records and tax receipts were reportedly excluded from compensation lists.
Concerns were also raised over a proposed 1,250 MW pumped-storage hydropower project by Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited in partnership with Adani Green. The project is expected to submerge large tracts of jhum land (slash-and-burn cultivation on hill slopes) and displace three villages — Moti Lampu, Moti Hojai, and Riam Bathari — located in a landslide- and earthquake-prone zone.
The memorandum alleged that land was allotted without Social Impact Assessments, public hearings, or the prior informed consent of village authorities, in violation of land acquisition laws. In Sixth Schedule areas, where land is held through customary systems rather than formal titles, authorities are accused of declaring occupied tribal land as “vacant” to bypass legal safeguards.
The tribal leaders also warned of severe environmental damage in Dima Hasao, which lies within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. They said the projects would lead to forest clearance, pollution, disruption of wildlife corridors, and the destruction of sacred and culturally significant sites.
Citing the failure of the Autonomous Council, State agencies, and environmental regulators to protect tribal rights, the memorandum urged the Governor to intervene immediately, warning that court cases could take years while irreversible damage continues on the ground.
Published – February 02, 2026 01:19 am IST
