In view of the demands of the indigenous people living in the two villages of Laika and Dodhia in Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday asked the Environment and Forest and Revenue Department to permanently rehabilitate the families by January 31.

Charing a high-level meeting to find out ways to rehabilitate around 1455 families from Laikia and Dodhia villages at the conference hall in Assam Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Sonowal directed the Environment and Forest Department to find out modalities in close coordination with the Revenue Department and rehabilitate the families elsewhere by January 31. Sonowal also constituted a ten-member committee with Environment and Forest Minister as its Chairperson and Revenue and Disaster Management Minister its member and Principal Secretary Forest as its member secretary. The other members of the committee are MP, Lakhimpur, MLA Chabua, MLA Dhemaji, Commissioner and Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Deputy Commissioner Tinsukia and Lakhimpur.

Sonowal asked the committee to find a logical and permanent solution to the problem of rehabilitation of families presently residing in Laika and Dodhia under Dibru Saikhowa National Park within one month.

Chief Minister Sonowal in response to the earmarking of the new lands for the permanent rehabilitation of the families, asked the Environment and Forest Department to conduct a survey and complete it within one week so that the rehabilitation process can be started on an emergent basis. The Chief Minister taking a humane look at the problems of the families also asked the committee to design a rehabilitation package to include the needs of drinking water, electricity, and immediate medical requirements, etc of the rehabilitated families.