Taking the cue from Bodo organisations, the Barak Valley Hill Tribes Development Council and the Barak Valley Hill People's Union have demanded an autonomous district council for South Assam's tribal community. Ngursun Thang, one of those leading the movement, said the 2.5 lakh tribal residents of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts were economically and socially deprived. He said the problems of these people could be solved by constituting an autonomous council for administration of the 555 contiguous tribal dominated villages in the Barak valley.