Karbi Students Association leaders visit disputed site

Our Correspondent

Diphu, Feb.15 (EMN): Following news of land encroachers clearing large tracts of virgin forest land of Khonbamon Singhason hills range in Karbi Anglong, the leaders of Karbi Students Association (KSA) of Thangsing Timung faction of Diphu Regional Committee (DRC) on Sunday last (February 13) visited the site and found around 21 houses constructed by encroachers.

It may be mentioned that Singhason range is the main water source for downstream Kaziranga National Park. The wetland Kaziranga National park mainly depends on the vegetation of Singhason hills.

The KSA stated that the encroachers should be immediately evicted before it becomes a colony, by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Authority.

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President of KSA, DRC, Liton Timung said in order to get first-hand information about the clearing of forest land by encroachers, the KSA, DRC team from Diphu climbed up Khonbamon to reach the place. The team was led by Timung and secretary, KSA, DRC, Sorosing Bey, Raju Engi from the Central Committee and president, Longnit head branch, Jiten Singnar.

“On February 13 our KSA team from Diphu climbed up Khonbamon of Singhason Range, where encroachers have started living here doing agricultural activities by clearing the thick vegetation of Singhason hills.  From Longnit we started to climb the Singhason hills that took about 2 and half hours to reach the place. When we reached the place we found 21 houses. The encroachers are all from Manipur. They have exploited the virgin forest of Khonbamon by cutting down the jungles and doing ginger and broomsticks (phool jaru) cultivation, poultry and lumbering,” he said.