Guwahati, April 11: Hundreds of farmers in Assam’s Golaghat district staged a massive protest on Thursday against a circular issued by a Nagaland government agency, which directed them to cease farming on land they have cultivated for decades. The land has reportedly been allocated for oil palm cultivation.
The protest took place in the Merapani area, where farmers rallied to submit a memorandum demanding that the status quo be maintained in the disputed area belt (DAB) and urging the Nagaland administration to remove the fencing erected around the proposed plantation site.
The March 22 circular, issued by the State Seed Farm, Merapani, under the Nagaland government, affects approximately 1,200 farmers from the area. The seed farm is located within the DAB, a territory claimed by both Assam and Nagaland.
“The matter is serious. Farmers who have been cultivating this land for years are now being asked to stop their activities. If this continues, they will lose their livelihoods. Additionally, oil palm cultivation will severely impact local water resources, as an oil palm tree requires around 300 litres of water per day,” said one of the protesters.
Tensions between the Nagaland government and farmers from Assam escalated after authorities from the neighbouring state claimed ownership of the land.
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