https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

How Two Officers Led a Historic Rehabilitation from Dibru Saikhowa

After two decades of broken promises and rising despair, 163 families from Laika village were finally given a new life outside Dibru Saikhowa National Park — thanks to the determined leadership of DC Swapneel Paul and DFO T.C. Ranjith Ram, who turned an impossible mission into a landmark achievement
Indian Masterminds Stories

For nearly twenty years, the villagers of Laika – marooned deep inside the wild heart of Dibru Saikhowa National Park – had waited. Every monsoon, as the swirling waters of the mighty Brahmaputra rose and surrounded them, the calls for resettlement grew louder, but solutions remained elusive. Promises came and went; hopes rose and fell. It took an extraordinary partnership between Mr. Swapneel Paul, District Commissioner of Tinsukia, and Mr. T.C. Ranjith Ram, Divisional Forest Officer of Digboi, to finally break the stalemate and offer the people of Laika a new beginning.

Their mission was fraught with logistical nightmares, bureaucratic hurdles, and intense resistance. Yet, through grit, vision, and sheer persistence, they achieved what was long thought impossible.

FINDING THE LAND

The first hurdle was a monumental one – finding a large enough tract of land suitable for the rehabilitation of over 1000 people. After painstaking surveys and numerous dead-ends, a 66-hectare stretch of degraded land in the Namphai Reserve Forest was identified. Necessary approvals were secured, but this was just the beginning.

Convincing nearby communities to accept the arrival of new settlers proved to be the biggest challenge yet. Initial reactions ranged from suspicion to outright hostility. It took multiple rounds of patient dialogue and negotiation to turn the tide.

“There were moments when it felt like every step forward led to two steps back,” said Mr. Paul to Indian Masterminds “But we kept at it. Listening to people, addressing their fears, and building trust was the only way.”

A JOURNEY AGAINST THE CURRENT

Bringing the families from Laika to Namphai was a task that read like a chapter out of an adventure novel. With the Brahmaputra in full strength, transporting hundreds across its treacherous waters required meticulous planning and nerves of steel.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was roped in to execute the delicate operation. Over several carefully coordinated phases, families made the difficult crossing, leaving behind not just their homes but a way of life they had known for generations.

“It wasn’t just a physical relocation,” Mr. Paul shares. “It was emotional, symbolic – a crossing into hope after years of uncertainty.”

BUILDING NEW LIVES

The administration didn’t stop at merely shifting the people. They ensured the new settlements would have the building blocks for a better life. Through convergence of various government schemes, two new villages quickly began to take shape.

New Anganwadi centres and schools sprang up. Housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) provided sturdy roofs. Toilets were constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), and agricultural extension services were introduced to secure livelihoods.

“This wasn’t about dumping people onto empty land,” emphasizes Mr. Paul. “It was about creating vibrant, self-sustaining communities where they could dream again.”

RECOGNITION

This resettlement marks the first real breakthrough in a law-and-order and humanitarian crisis that had festered for two decades. For their leadership and commitment, Mr. Swapneel Paul and Mr. T.C. Ranjith Ram were awarded the prestigious Karmashree – Assam CM’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration, 2023-24.

Yet, even as they celebrate this milestone, the mission isn’t over. Approximately 200 families from Laika still await resettlement. The administration is actively scouting for suitable land to complete the historic rehabilitation process.

“Our work has just begun,” Mr. Paul says. “Every family deserves a future free from the fear of floods and the loneliness of being forgotten.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
_BPCL_IandC_team_
BPCL Launches ‘Suraksha Bandhan’ Safety Initiative, Reaching Over 12,000 People Across India
Bank of Baroda
Financial Results: Bank of Baroda Board to Approve Q2 and Half-Year Unaudited Financial Results on October 31, 2025
Sandeep Lathar
Political Pressure Behind ASI’s Suicide? Wife Accuses IPS Officer’s Family, MLAs in FIR, Seeks CBI Inquiry
Special Campaign 5.0
Swachhata Takes Centre Stage: Government Launches ‘Special Campaign 5.0’ across Key Ministries to Clear Backlogs & Boost Office Hygiene
Railtel
Results: RailTel to Announce Q2 Financial Results on October 29, Proposes Interim Dividend with November 4 Record Date
GRSE Garden Reach
Results: GRSE to Review Q2 Results on November 4, Eyes Interim Dividend with Record Date on November 11
South Eastern Coalfields Limited SECL
SECL’s 12 Coal Mining Projects Delay Due to Green Clearances and Land Issues Amid Rising Demand
DPIIT Primus Partners MoU startup ecosystem
From Idea to Impact: DPIIT’s New Initiative Fuels Startup Growth in India
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
The Many Facets of Former IRS Officer and Author, Giselle Mehta | Video Interview
IDES Saquib Alam
Beyond IAS and IPS: The Inspiring Work of an IDES officer | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Ankita Parashar RAS 2023
4 Attempts, 1 Dream, 0 Excuses: Meet RAS Topper Ankita Parashar, Who Fulfilled a Daughter’s Promise & Secured Rank 2 | Exclusive Interview
Ankita Parashar, a teacher-turned-officer from Pushkar, fulfilled her late father’s dream by securing...
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
_BPCL_IandC_team_
BPCL Launches ‘Suraksha Bandhan’ Safety Initiative, Reaching Over 12,000 People Across India
Bank of Baroda
Financial Results: Bank of Baroda Board to Approve Q2 and Half-Year Unaudited Financial Results on October 31, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
IDES Saquib Alam
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT