Why a resettlement package may not be enough for Brus in Tripura

Agartala: There was a time when the hills of West Kalajhari were home to a forest so dense, the light would barely make its way through the thick foliage. However, the terrain has since changed, with the tracts now dotted with bamboo-made structures and solar street lights. What was once almost silent territory is now abuzz with human activity. New buildings, roads, water tankers and ration under the public distribution system now find a place in Natun Gram, which simply translates to New village. The name may be Bengali, but its residents are Bru migrants who have made this place, located about 100 km from Agartala city, one of their homes. 

The settlement is in the Gomati district, close to the sparsely-populated Amarpur-Gandacherra road, which makes it close to Dhalai district also. 

While several locals believe the Brus have ‘found’ an ideal place to settle, the Brus disagree. Speaking to EastMojo, residents of West Kalajhari Bru camp said they face several challenges, especially water and livelihood opportunities. 

“The biggest problem we face is water. This place is in the hilly area, which is pretty high from the groundwater level. When this area was finalised under the Bru resettlement process, engineers of the Department of Water and Sanitation visited the spot and tried to extract underground water but failed. Later, the water plant was relocated to Mailakcherra but the forest department shut down the project. For now, all we know is that the departments are trying to resolve the stalemate and resume work for the permanent water treatment plant,” said Lema Reang, a resident.

He said all families are provided with one tanker full of water from the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, which is not enough.

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“As the temperature rose with the onset of summer, all water sources dried up. You can’t find a pond even after walking kilometres from here. The water issue must be addressed as soon as possible. The water comes from Amarpur, which is over 35 kilometres from our village. If the department fails to provide for one day, the whole village will be in trouble,” Reang added.

Resettlement: Many positives, lingering concerns

Almost one year has passed since Bru migrants, in search of permanent residence, started settling in this region after promises were made as part of the quadripartite agreement signed in March 2020. The villagers are happy at receiving Rs 1.5 lakh for constructing homes, Rs 4 lakh as a fixed deposit and Rs 5,000 monthly pension for two years.

The package has definitely helped the villagers to survive in such remote locations, but most families are anxious about their future.

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“We have been told when we complete two years of settlement, we shall be handed over land deeds for five hectares of land for each family. This land can be used for shift cultivation and other livelihood opportunities,” Reang told EastMojo.

Speaking on the issue, another resident Helen said, “We must not remain confined to shifting cultivation. There are several horticultural crops that grow well in the hilly areas. Betel nuts, papaya, and banana are some crops that suit the climate here and all these crops can be sold in the local markets. Our people can earn a good living from that. The government should pay attention to this and shift focus on capacity building programmes.”

She said apart from water and livelihood concerns, health infrastructure is also equally weak in the area. “We are living in an area that looks extremely pure and pristine, but we suffer due to a range of connectivity problems. The road that connects our village with Amarpur, the sub-division headquarter, is dilapidated. For expectant women, travelling on this road could be life-threatening. This road should be improved so that the vehicular movement becomes normal and our exchange with the people staying in urban areas enhances,” she pointed out.

Some villagers pointed out that even though they are receiving monthly cash doles, they are unable to draw the money from their accounts. “There is no ATM in the 30-km radius. As soon as we receive the text message that the cash assistance is credited, we have to pay Rs 100 and travel to Amarpur to draw the money. If not a proper branch, the banks can set up ultra-small units in proximity to our village so that people can at least draw the money. And elderly persons of the village who don’t know how to use debit cards have to stand in queues at the banks to withdraw money for daily use,” said Madhuram Reang, a youth from the village.

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Language gap hurting students

The problem does not end here. The language gap between the local communities and settlers also hinders the functioning of schools. Nikhil Rudra Paul, who is in charge of the West Kalajhari English Medium School, said he hardly understands his students’ language and most of the time, he depends on his peers to communicate with the students.

“A handful of people in the village can speak Hindi and English both. They understand a little bit of Bengali as well. But the students can only communicate in their mother tongue. We have been trying to make sure that they can read textbooks in the first place so that we can make the transition to an advanced level,” Paul said.

According to Paul, villagers are less interested in the studies of their children and the onus is now on the five teachers posted in the school to ensure that the children can learn and grow in their lives.

“The parents are not eager to hear anything from our side. We have 168 students enrolled in the school, but most do not have a basic knowledge of numbers and alphabets. Most are going to school for the first time. We tried to convince the parents to admit their children to lower classes to keep coherence in the teaching-learning process, but they were adamant about putting them in classes based on their age. The government should give special focus on this school given the factors associated with it,” said Paul.

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The Kokborok teacher of the school, Khagendra Reang, said, “There are some differences between the language they speak and our native language Kokborok. Both languages have similar roots but some words bear different meanings. One can easily understand what the other was trying to say but sometimes making the children aware as to what you are trying to say becomes difficult.”

Unlike some where Bru resettlement sparked tension and protests from the locals, the migrants did not face such issues here. “Several communities like Jamatia, Debbarma, Reang and others stay in proximity to our village. We have never been at odds with anyone. We are peace-loving people and want overall development for all. All of us stay here like brothers and sisters,” Lame Reang told EastMojo.

According to the villagers, their main demands from the government include community spaces, mobile tower coverage, free electricity, government jobs and essential amenities like all-weather roads and hospitals.

Around 600 families are still in the relief camps of North Tripura and are lined up for new destinations.

According to an official in the state’s revenue department, over 70 per cent of the displaced families had been shifted to new locations and provided with all the documents. A Rs 600 crore package was sanctioned for the resettlement of the 37,000 Brus who took shelter in Tripura while escaping ethnic clashes in Mizoram in 1997.

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