The Assam government will be launching a two-day eviction drive from Sunday to reclaim over 375 acres of encroached forest land in Goalpara district, officials said, in one of the state’s latest moves against illegal occupation.
Notices have been served to 580 households in the Dahikata reserve forest, asking them to vacate. Around 70 per cent have already cleared the area, Goalpara District Commissioner Prodip Timung said.
“The eviction drive will be undertaken to clear encroachments from 1,140 bighas (376 acres) of forest land. It will be carried out over two days from tomorrow,” Timung said on Saturday.
“We have divided the area into five blocks… and only in one block, some people are still there. In the other blocks, most have left. We have allowed the people to dismantle and move out with their things by today, and most have gone," he added.
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The drive is being conducted under directives from the Gauhati High Court, which has previously heard three petitions related to the operation. “We are hopeful of a peaceful drive. There is sufficient security deployment and there has been no resistance so far,” Timung said.
The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government has been actively carrying out eviction drives across the state, targeting encroached lands it claims are held by “illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and doubtful citizens”.
Sarma had earlier stated that 29 lakh bighas (over 9.5 lakh acres) remain under encroachment, while 1.29 lakh bighas (more than 42,500 acres) have been cleared in the past four years.
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