1,200 hectare of forest land recovered from encroachment in Golaghat: Assam CM

Guwahati, Aug 4 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that the first phase of eviction drive in the Rengma Reserve forest at Uriamghat in the Golaghat district is completed and at least 1,200 hectare of land was made free from encroachment.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma said, "Phase I of the eviction drive in Uriamghat is over where we recovered more than 1200 hectare of land in Rengma Reserve Forest."

The Chief Minister also warned that the eviction exercise will continue in the state to clear illegal encroachment.

"The drive will continue, here as well as across the state to take back every inch of land, which rightfully belongs to the people of Assam," CM Sarma added.

The state administration in Assam's Golaghat district launched a large-scale eviction drive in the previous week.

In the eviction exercise, nearly 2,000 families accused of encroaching upon forest land in the Rengma Reserve Forest under the Sarupathar sub-division in the Golaghat district had to leave the forest area.

The encroached land, reportedly converted into betel nut plantations allegedly linked to a larger "betel mafia" network, has drawn sharp administrative action following extensive land surveys across 30 villages in the area.

Authorities deployed a formidable force, around 700 to 800 personnel from the Assam Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the State Forest Department.

Heavy machinery, including bulldozers and excavators, have also been mobilised to carry out the eviction.

Many of those facing eviction are Bengali-speaking Muslims, a community often branded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Reports suggest that a significant number have fled the area in fear, seeking shelter in other parts of Assam.

According to official estimates, over the past four years, 1.29 lakh bighas (around 42,500 acres) have been cleared of encroachments, but nearly 29 lakh bighas (more than 9.5 lakh acres) still remain under illegal occupation across the state.

The state government claimed that many of the encroachers originate from Muslim-majority districts within Assam, such as Nagaon, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Cachar, Dhubri, Barpeta, and Hojai, as well as from neighbouring states like West Bengal and Bihar.

As tensions rise, the Nagaland government has issued an advisory urging its border districts to remain vigilant and prevent any spillover of displaced families from Assam into its territory during the course of the eviction.

--IANS

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