The Rs 40,000-crore project, initially tied to nearly 1,000 acres of tribal land and thousands of sal and teak trees, drew sharp criticism from Bodo groups who say they were never consulted and remain skeptical of the state’s development narrative.
BY PC Bureau
June 23, 2025 — In a significant development for Assam’s tribal communities, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday that the state government has identified alternative sites in Dhubri and Goalpara districts for a proposed 3,000-MW thermal power project, effectively shifting it away from Kokrajhar following intense protests over tribal land rights. The decision marks a major win for indigenous groups who accused the government of attempting to seize their land for corporate interests, particularly the Adani Group.
Addressing the media after a cabinet meeting, Sarma revealed that the Rs 40,000-crore project, expected to generate around one lakh direct and indirect jobs, is slated to have its foundation stone laid by November 2025. The state will soon issue tenders for the ambitious initiative, which aims to bolster Assam’s energy infrastructure and mirror the economic impact of the Tata Group’s Rs 26,000-crore semiconductor unit in Jagiroad.
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Initially, the government had eyed Kokrajhar in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) to host the project, citing its potential to drive economic growth in the tribal-dominated area. However, the proposal sparked weeks of protests in Kokrajhar’s Banshbari-Paglijhora area, where the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL), in partnership with the Adani Group, was allotted approximately 3,600 bighas (992 acres) of land, part of a Proposed Reserve Forest under the Sixth Schedule. Local Bodo communities, backed by organizations like the Boro Diaspora Forum (BDF) and the Indigenous Forum, Assam (IFA), condemned the move as an unconstitutional violation of tribal land rights and a threat to over 500,000 sal and teak trees.
“Not an Inch of Tribal Land to Adani”: Bodo Resistance Mounts Against Thermal Plant#NoLandForAdani #ProtectTribalRights #KokrajharProtests #SixthScheduleSafeguard #PaglijhoraResistance https://t.co/80gnXnNNO0
— Navin Upadhyay (@Navinupadhya) June 16, 2025
“We don’t want to go ahead with it by taking the blame that we are after tribal land,” Sarma stated, responding to accusations that the government was “plotting to hand over” tribal land to corporates. He noted that two alternative land parcels in Dhubri and Goalpara have been identified, adding that the shift aims to avoid further controversy.
The protests, which erupted in six Bodo-inhabited villages under Kokrajhar’s Bagribari Revenue Circle, highlighted concerns over environmental degradation and the lack of community consent. The BDF criticized the project’s job creation claims, pointing out that nine existing Adani plants employ only 3,315 people combined, far below the promised figures. Tribal leaders, including Harishwar Brahma of the All Assam Tribal Students’ Union, argued that the land transfer bypassed the Sixth Schedule’s protections, which grant autonomy to tribal councils like the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
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Sarma claimed the Kokrajhar site involved a 4,000-bigha plot held by just 80 families, suggesting it was “not correct” for such a small group to control vast land. He proposed repurposing the area for public institutions like a hospital or college, a move that has drawn skepticism from activists who fear it could still lead to land alienation.
The relocation announcement has been hailed as a victory on social media, with posts on X celebrating the “tribal uprising” in Kokrajhar. One user wrote, “Facing weeks of protests in Bodoland, the Assam government now says the controversial Adani power plant may be shifted out if opposition persists,” reflecting the public’s role in pressuring the government.
However, the project’s future in Dhubri and Goalpara raises new questions. Dhubri, recently in the news for communal tensions, is already under scrutiny for land-related issues, while Goalpara’s wetlands, like Urpad Beel and Hasila Beel, were declared Proposed Reserve Forests on Sunday, complicating potential site selection.
The decision comes amid broader concerns about corporate influence in Assam. The IFA also flagged a proposed 1,000-MW Adani solar project in Karbi Anglong, which could displace over 20,000 indigenous people, underscoring ongoing tensions over land rights.
As Assam pushes for economic growth, the Kokrajhar protests highlight the delicate balance between development and indigenous rights. Tribal groups remain vigilant, with the BDF and IFA calling for united resistance to protect Sixth Schedule areas. For now, the shift to Dhubri or Goalpara offers a reprieve for Kokrajhar’s Bodo community, but the battle over land and autonomy in Assam is far from over.
