2 months ago
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GUWAHATI
The constabulary successful eastbound Assam’s Jorhat territory person served a announcement to a Raijor Dal leader, an Indian Institute of Management alumnus, for allegedly instigating villagers to defy excavation for a flood mitigation project.
Farmers and members of the sportfishing assemblage surviving astir a web of wetlands, including Kenduguri Beel and Kawoimari Beel, person been opposing a task to excavate astir 1,700 bighas (561 acres). These wetlands, wrong 5 km of the confederate slope of the Brahmaputra River, are successful the district’s Teok area.
The protestation intensified astir a period aft the villagers submitted a memorandum to the Jorhat District Commissioner connected January 20, demanding a halt to excavation activities nether the ‘Flood mitigation by capableness augmentation of wetlands’ project, allegedly without immoderate nationalist hearing, biology interaction assessment, oregon societal interaction assessment.
The villagers demanded that the elaborate task study beryllium made public. They besides sought transparency successful the task that affects the livelihoods of hundreds of farming families and alters a earthy wetland ecosystem important for flood mitigation and groundwater recharge.
The protestation took a crook connected Friday (February 27, 2026) erstwhile the constabulary successful Teok issued a announcement to Debanga Sourav Gogoi, a spokesperson of the Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal, based connected a archetypal accusation report. Several sections nether the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those dealing with extortion and rioting, were slapped against him.
He has been asked to look astatine the constabulary presumption connected March 1.
The protestors said the constabulary visited Mr Gogoi’s residence successful a colony nether the Teok constabulary presumption doubly astatine midnight since the FIR was lodged a fewer days ago. “He is being singled retired for raising procedural and biology questions. This is thing but governmental targeting and intimidation,” a section Raijor Dal subordinate said.
The Teok constabulary did not person calls. No authoritative connection has been issued to code the villagers’ allegations, who fearfulness that the project, which is presumed to make a immense reservoir, could spell catastrophe for them successful the agelong run.
The country has been flood-free, but for a azygous lawsuit successful 2017.
