Gauhati High Court Slams Assam Government Over Allotment of 3,000 Bighas of Tribal Land to Cement Company
The issue surfaced during the hearing of two petitions. One, filed by 22 local tribal residents, alleged that they were being evicted from their lawfully possessed land to facilitate the cement plant.
GUWAHTI- The Gauhati High Court has sharply criticized the Assam government for allotting approximately 3,000 bighas (around 4 square kilometers) of land in the tribal-majority Dima Hasao district to Mahabal Cement Private Limited for a cement factory, calling the decision “extraordinary” and questioning if it was “some kind of joke.” The court’s scathing remarks, made during a hearing on August 12, have sparked widespread attention, with a video of the proceedings going viral on social media.
The land, located in the ecologically sensitive Umrangso region, was allocated in two phases: 2,000 bighas in October 2024 and an additional 1,000 bighas in November 2024, as per orders issued by the Additional Secretary, Revenue, of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC).
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Dima Hasao, a hill district governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, prioritizes the rights and interests of its tribal population through the NCHAC. The court, presided over by Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi, expressed shock at the scale of the allotment, stating, “3,000 bighas! The entire district? What is going on? 3,000 bighas allotted to a private company? What kind of decision is this?”
The issue surfaced during the hearing of two petitions. One, filed by 22 local tribal residents, alleged that they were being evicted from their lawfully possessed land to facilitate the cement plant. The other was filed by Mahabal Cement, seeking protection from “disturbances” by villagers obstructing construction. The company’s counsel, G. Goswami, defended the allotment, claiming the land was barren and allocated through a tender process for a 30-year mining lease. Justice Medhi dismissed the argument, retorting, “We know how barren it is… Your need is not the issue; public interest is the issue.”
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The court emphasized the environmental significance of Umrangso, known for its hot springs, migratory bird stopovers, and wildlife, and underscored the constitutional protections for tribal rights under the Sixth Schedule. It directed the NCHAC to produce records detailing the policy and process behind the “huge chunk of land” allotment, with the next hearing scheduled for September 1.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and local communities. A Congress delegation, led by former Assam unit chief Bhupen Kumar Borah and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, previously submitted a memorandum to the Governor, alleging that the state government was attempting to transfer up to 9,000 bighas to a corporate group with ties to the ruling BJP, disregarding tribal sentiments. “This is not just a land issue. It’s about survival and safeguarding the identity of Dima Hasao’s indigenous people,” the memorandum stated.
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According to official reports confirm the allottee as Mahabal Cement Private Limited, a Kolkata-based company that signed an MoU for a Rs 11,000 crore investment during Assam’s Advantage Assam 2.0 summit in February 2025.
The Gauhati High Court’s intervention has highlighted concerns over transparency, tribal rights, and environmental protection in the land allotment process, putting pressure on the Assam government and NCHAC to justify their decision.
As the case progresses, it is likely to fuel further debate over development priorities and the safeguarding of tribal and ecological interests in Assam’s Sixth Schedule areas.
