If Cachar does not protest, 19 villages will be inducted to Dima Hasao: Here is what you need to know

If the people and people’s representatives of Barak Valley do not object, nineteen villages under the Lakhipur co-district of Cachar may soon be merged with Dima Hasao and brought under the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC). This proposal is now official and in motion. The top offices in the Government of Assam, have rolled out an official communication seeking responses.

The proposal comes as part of the demands placed by insurgent outfits Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) and Dimasa People’s Supreme Council (DPSC), who signed a peace agreement with the Centre and the Assam Government earlier this year.

The Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), inked on April 27, 2025, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, aimed to bring an end to armed insurgency in Dima Hasao. Among its seven clauses, Clause 2.2 provided for the constitution of a Commission to examine the inclusion of additional villages contiguous to NCHAC.

The Commission held its fourth meeting on July 7, 2025, where the demand for the inclusion of villages from Lakhipur was raised. The 19 proposed villages are: Dipu, Kumacherra, Kalinagar, Jembru, Puthacherra, Harinagar, Dharmanagar, Thaipunagar, Railing, Masap, Dolaicherra, Sonpur, Karabil, Kanakpur, Joypur, Watiling, Langlacherra, Laduma, and Lodi.

Thai Tsho Daw Daulagupu, IAS, Secretary to the Government of Assam, Hill Areas Department, confirmed the development to Barak Bulletin. “It has not been included with Dima Hasao yet, but a proposal has been sent for the inclusion,” he said. He clarified that while the DNLA has demanded enlargement of Dima Hasao, and the Dima Hasao council has “in principle no objection,” the final decision rests with the Cachar district administration and the state government.

Daulagupu further explained, “We want to know the views of Cachar. Whether there is an objection from Cachar is what the department wants to know. If the Cachar District Administration says they have no objection, then the order will reach the state government, and only after approval, this can be incorporated.”

Cachar Deputy Commissioner Mridul Yadav also spoke on the matter. He said, “There was a resolution by the committee under which they have asked the DC to take the comments and give a report in a particular format. So far, there is no such decision being taken, because the final decision will be taken by the Home Department, the Border Department, and finally at the level of the Cabinet.”

Meanwhile, the Circle Officer of Lakhipur has been asked by the Office of the District Commissioner Cachar (RKG Branch) on August 18 to examine the 19 villages proposed for inclusion and submit a detailed report with pros and cons by August 20, 2025.

When asked if any report was submitted, DC Cachar said, “No Report has been submitted yet. Views and comments of Villagers, Public Representatives, and Honble MLAs will be taken before communicating to the Government”.