Will Local Consent Decide the Fate of Centre’s Wetland Mission in Assam?

TEOK: A fresh controversy has erupted in the Mariani Assembly constituency of Assam's Jorhat district over the implementation of the Centre’s Wetland Restoration and Rejuvenation Scheme, triggering tensions between two groups of local residents in Kenduguri Pathar under Chintamanigarh.

The proposed project, aimed at flood control and ecological restoration, covers nearly 1,700 bighas of agricultural land, wetlands and grazing fields across Simaluguri and East Teok mouzas.

The excavation work, intended to revive water bodies under a central government initiative, began on February 26. However, it soon led to a heated exchange between a section of local residents and representatives of the government and contractor agencies.

While the Jorhat district administration intervened to defuse the immediate situation, fresh tensions surfaced after police reportedly entered the residence of a local youth, Debanga Saurav Gogoi, late at night. Gogoi, who had been vocal in supporting the protesting villagers, is said to be associated with a regional political outfit but had joined the agitation as a local resident. The police visit sparked sharp reactions in the area, with protesters alleging intimidation and an attempt to silence dissenting voices.

Opponents of the project claim that the excavation would severely affect fertile agricultural land and traditional grazing grounds used for cattle, buffaloes and goats. They assert that the protest is a spontaneous movement by local villagers and not politically motivated. According to them, the land in question sustains livelihoods, and converting it into a large pond would create long-term hardship for farming families. They have strongly condemned what they describe as the use of administrative pressure and warned that they will not allow excavation in productive farmland and grazing areas.

On the other hand, another section of residents from the same region has come out in strong support of the scheme and urged the government to proceed without delay. They argue that the land in Kenduguri Pathar has remained waterlogged for years, rendering it largely unfit for cultivation or livestock rearing for most of the year. Supporters of the project believe that scientific restoration of the wetland would create opportunities for fish farming, generate local employment for unemployed youth, improve irrigation facilities for rabi crops during the dry season, help regulate groundwater levels, and contribute to flood mitigation. Some residents also see potential for eco-tourism and plantation of medicinal plants along the embankments, which they believe could promote environmental balance and economic self-reliance.

They have further alleged that portions of government land have been encroached upon over the years and claimed that resistance to the project is being driven by vested political and personal interests. Expressing confidence that the initiative would transform the backward Kenduguri Pathar region, the pro-project group has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through the Teok Revenue Circle Officer, stating that they have no objection to the implementation and urging immediate commencement of work.

Notably, the Chief Minister had recently clarified that the government would not impose the scheme in any area where local residents strongly oppose it.

With both groups now formally petitioning the Chief Minister, the dispute highlights the complex balance between environmental restoration, livelihood concerns, and local consent in development projects across rural Assam.

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