Sivasagar, Feb 5: The Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU) organized a large protest in Sivasagar today, demanding immediate government action to prevent the illegal encroachment of Ahom-era monuments and relics in the region.
The demonstration, led by Akhil Ahom, the district president of ATASU, was addressed by Basanta Gogoi, the president of the Central Committee. Gogoi raised concerns over the encroachment of the historic 17th-century natural zoo near Mankata Ali in Zerenga Pathar, established by Ahom King Rudra Singha between 1696 and 1704. The encroachment, he warned, threatens the local avian population, particularly migratory species that visit the area.
ATASU also demanded the removal of illegal encroachments along the historic Jamuna Canal, which was dug during the reign of Siva Singha and Queen Modambika. The encroachments have reportedly lowered the water levels of Sivasagar Borpukhuri, a significant historical water body. Protestors condemned the construction of the Siva Doul Tirtha Jatri Niwas Business Complex and other buildings along the canal, which violate government regulations.
Additionally, the union highlighted the illegal occupation of parts of the Ranganath Doul and Jaymoti Doul in Jaysagar, further compromising the integrity of the region’s historical sites.
Gogoi announced that ATASU has given the government a one-month deadline to evict all encroachers. If the authorities fail to act, the student body has vowed to hold a massive rally in Sivasagar at the end of March to intensify their demand for the preservation of these historical monuments.
The protest also received support from local leaders, including MI Bora, president of Ujoni Asom Muslim Kalyan Parishad, and Devajit Dutta, president of Sangrami Yuva Chatra Parishad, who expressed solidarity with ATASU’s call for the protection of the region’s heritage.
