DIPHU : In recent development in Hawaipur Jirim Bazar Committee, one of the oldest markets in West Karbi Anglong district, is embroiled in a heated controversy over alleged land encroachment and mismanagement by the newly formed Hawaipur Jirim Bazar Committee, under Donka Revenue Circle, West Karbi Anglong.

The issue has sparked widespread discontent among local residents, threatening the harmony that has long defined this diverse community of Gorkha, Bengali, Hindi-speaking, Karbi, Dimasa, and other residents

Local resident and social worker Yam Prasad Ghimire revealed that his father, Hari Prasad Ghimire, donated 12 bighas of land for the establishment of the Hawaipur Jirim Bazar before the inception of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). He expressed dismay at the recent chaos, stating, “This is the first time disharmony has been created in the bazar area.

The committee’s actions have disrupted the peace we’ve maintained for decades.” Ghimire has urged KAAC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang to intervene, dissolve the current committee, and conduct a transparent investigation into the matter.

The controversy centers on Bronson Kramsa, President, Hawaipur Jirim Bazar Committee and brother of Sarthe Kramsa, Forest Board Chairman, KAAC (a close aide of the KAAC, CEM). Former Bazar Committee Secretary Ajit Das alleged that Bronson, with the support of non-local residents, attempted to forcibly seize land for constructing a committee office without consulting stakeholders.

Das further noted that Arun Kanti Das had paid land revenue (khajana) for the disputed land until 1984, challenging Bronson’s claim that residents are “illegal encroachers.”

The formation of the new committee has also drawn criticism for its lack of transparency. Approved by the KAAC under the Karbi Anglong Market (Management and Control) Act, 1954, for the financial year 2025-26 (vide Memo No. KAAC/TAX/Hawaipur Jirim Bazar Committee/21-22/7765(iii) dated 29/05/2025), the committee was unilaterally formed under Bronson Kramsa’s leadership.

It sidelined public proposals, excluded elected members like Ajit Das and Ajay Das, and included Bronson’s close aides, such as Assistant Secretary Longkiri Kramsa, Treasurer Ananda Kramsa, and Member Secretary Doloi Terange, Inspector of Taxes, KAAC. Critics allege that Bronson’s political connections and his brother’s political influence enabled this opaque process.

Former committee members have accused the new committee of disregarding KAAC rules and by-laws, attempting to establish a market management office without public consultation, and fostering a tense atmosphere in the market. The controversy is further fueled by the Kramsa family’s alleged involvement in prior land, sand, and timber disputes, raising questions about their influence over local governance.

Ajit Das has called on the KAAC CEM, who oversees the Taxation Department, to personally investigate the committee’s actions and restore fairness. As tensions rise, residents fear that the ongoing dispute could further erode the community’s unity and the market’s legacy as a vital economic hub in West Karbi Anglong.

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