UTTARADIT - Authorities have been urged to take back encroached plots around Bueng Kalo marsh as the number of alleged land encroachers has now increased to 122.
Somsak Hompian, kamnan of tambon Pasao in Muang district, said on Wednesday that attempts were being made by 65 people who had allegedly encroached on the marsh in tambon Pasao and tambon Khung Tapao to seek land documents for the plots from the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro).
Seven other landless people also occupied land around the marsh and 50 more living outside the two tambons had encroached on the land - this brought the total number of encroachers to 122 so far, said the tambon chief.
Many people of tambon Khung Tapao and tambon Pasao have long used the 7,500 rai that comprises Bueng Kalo marsh for crops and raising livestock. However, they have recently been barred by encroachers, said Mr Somsak.
Most residents wanted the marsh to be conserved for public use by people in the two communities, not by individuals, and say the marsh should not be put under the land reform area.
“Most residents in tambon Pasao share the common goal to keep land around the marsh for public use. We don’t want the land to be put under the land reform scheme. If the land is still under the Alro, vast areas of the marsh will be allocated to investors and outsiders. The locals, particularly the needy, will not benefit," said the local leader.
Mr Somsak called on Uttaradit governor Surasak Chareonsirichot to look into the problem and take back the encroached plots for public use.
He also asked the provincial land reform office to clearly define the boundary of Bueng Kalo. When a road around the marsh was built in 1993, people thought the road set the boundary of the marsh. This caused wide encroachment in the area, he said.