NCST seeks report over 18,000 bighas of tribal land in Karbi Anglong solar project
Guwahati: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has asked the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to submit a detailed status report on nearly 18,000 bighas of land earlier allotted to the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL) for a proposed 1,000 MW solar power project at Lahorijan in Karbi Anglong district.
The directive was issued during a hearing held on Thursday, despite the solar project having been officially scrapped after the Asian Development Bank (ADB) withdrew a proposed USD 434.25 million loan.
The ADB pulled out on May 28, 2025, following the Government of India’s withdrawal of its financing request on May 23, citing sustained objections and formal complaints by the Indigenous Peoples Party (IPP).
During the hearing, the NCST expressed concern that although the project has been abandoned, the 90-year land allotment agreement between KAAC and APDCL continues to remain legally valid. The Commission noted that the unresolved status of the land is the core issue that requires immediate clarification.
APDCL told the Commission that, in light of the withdrawal of international funding, the matter should be considered closed. However, IPP president Rajen Timung strongly disputed this claim, arguing that cancellation of the project does not automatically nullify the land lease or safeguard indigenous land rights.
Timung also informed the Commission about reports suggesting that APDCL has entered into a joint venture with Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL) to develop a 500 MW solar project on around 8,000 bighas of land in the same area. Under the reported proposal, NLCIL would hold a 51 per cent stake, while APDCL would retain 49 per cent.
Taking serious note of these submissions, the NCST directed KAAC to submit a comprehensive report at its next final hearing, detailing the current legal status of the land, its present usage, and any future plans. The IPP has alleged that such projects could displace more than 1,500 tribal families, raising serious concerns over land rights, consent, and the protection of Scheduled Tribe interests in Karbi Anglong.
It was also recorded that the principal secretary of KAAC did not attend the hearing after seeking exemption on personal grounds.
The Commission’s intervention underscores that, notwithstanding the cancellation of the solar project, land-related issues and the protection of tribal rights in Karbi Anglong remain under close scrutiny.