Alienation of Tribal Land in the Sixth Schedule Area: A Case Study of West Karbi Anglong District of Assam

Abstract

In West Karbi Anglong, tribal people are confronted with the problem of land alienation. One of the main factors is immigrants, mainly from Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan), Nepal and other parts of India especially Hindi speaking people, who encroached on tribal land. Moreover, there are certain devices that lead to temporary land alienation of the tribal and later turn into permanent land alienation of the tribal; that are- Paikas, Bandhok, Sukti Bandhok, Khoi Bandhok, Mena, Adhi and Gift or donation. Besides this, in the district, rampant land alienation of tribal has been occurred for education and health purpose. It is the fact that huge amount of money has been invested for the development of education and health sectors but all the good quality institutions are existed in Guwahati and Shillong. Other factors of tribal land alienation in said district are land law, modernization and development. Apart from this, the existence of bribe bureaucrats in the KAAC (Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council) and mechanical failure makes it easy for the non-tribal to mutate their land. Therefore, in this article highlighted nature and causes of land alienation in West Karbi Anglong District of Assam.