Golaghat/Nagaon: The authorities carried out eviction drives to clear encroachments in reserved forest areas of Assam’s Golaghat, Nagaon and Hojai districts, affecting over 500 families.
On Sunday, October 18, officials cleared encroached land in the Lutumari Reserved Forest. Families are being evicted from the protected area, with the exercise likely to continue on Monday as well.
“These families had obtained a stay order from a court when eviction was carried out in this area last year. After meeting all legal requirements and obtaining clearances, we resumed the eviction drive here today,” the official said.
No untoward incident was reported during the exercise, he claimed. Heavy security was deployed in all the areas where the anti-encroachment drives were carried out, with paramilitary personnel assisting the local police and the Forest Department.
“Several families had already left with their belongings. There has been no untoward incident,” the official added.
Excavators were deployed to demolish structures in the encroached areas, with the operation being conducted under heavy security arrangements.
The first phase of the eviction drive in the Lutumari Reserved Forest was carried out in November 2025.
Around 500-600 families had approached the court, claiming legal rights over the land. With the court rejecting their claims, the eviction drive is now being carried out, officials said.
An anti-encroachment drive was also conducted in the Borpani Reserved Forest area of Nagaon on Saturday.
Similar exercises were carried out in parts of Hojai and Golaghat districts on Saturday, affecting more than 500 families, officials had said.
Over 300 hectare forest land cleared so far
In Golaghat district, the eviction exercise was conducted in three areas. Of the houses targeted for eviction, 60 were in the Doyang Reserved Forest, spread across three villages in the 2 No Negheribil area, and 12 were in the Gelajan and Rajapukhuri areas of Nambor South.
The families had obtained temporary relief from the court when the first phase of the eviction drive in the area was carried out in July last year, said the District Collector.
In Nagaon district, 216 hectares of land on which 335 families had been living were cleared. Notices were served, and most had left the area with their movable property, officials said.
The exercise was also carried out in the Jamuna-Moudanga Reserved Forest in Hojai district, covering around 70 hectares of land.
Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS.
Source: The Siasat Daily
