Assam Suspends Survey For Proposed Morigaon Township Near Tata Semiconductor Project

The Assam government has suspended an ongoing survey related to a proposed satellite township project in Morigaon district following strong protests from tribal communities, particularly members of the Tiwa and Bodo groups. The survey, linked to a major industrial development near Jagiroad, was halted after continuous demonstrations over concerns of possible displacement and loss of tribal land in the region.

The protests intensified over the past three days in villages including Sindhisar, Naldhara, and Bihita, where residents and tribal organisations opposed the proposed township project. Demonstrators alleged that the initiative could lead to the eviction of indigenous families living in the Gobha Tribal Belt area. Protest marches and public gatherings were organised by groups such as the All Tiwa Students’ Union (ATSU), which demanded complete withdrawal of the project rather than a temporary suspension.

Morigaon Deputy Commissioner Anamika Tewari confirmed through an official public notice that the district administration had cancelled the survey exercise with immediate effect after receiving objections from several organisations. She stated that the survey had been initiated as part of efforts to prepare a rehabilitation and relocation proposal for residents likely to be affected by the township development.

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Despite welcoming the administration’s decision to stop the survey, tribal organisations maintained that their opposition to the township project remains unchanged. Protest leaders argued that the issue concerns the protection of tribal land rights, identity, and traditional settlements in the area. They have urged the state government to formally scrap the township proposal and provide assurances against future displacement.

The proposed township is associated with the large-scale Tata Electronics Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility currently being developed near Jagiroad. The semiconductor project, estimated at an investment of ₹27,000 crore, is expected to become one of the state’s biggest industrial initiatives and is projected to manufacture up to 48 million semiconductor chips per day using advanced packaging technologies.

The development has placed the Assam government in a sensitive position as it attempts to balance rapid industrial expansion with concerns over tribal rights and land protection. While the semiconductor project is being promoted as a major boost to employment and technology infrastructure in the state, the resistance from local communities highlights growing tensions over land acquisition and rehabilitation policies linked to large industrial projects.

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