120 structures across 4.2ha forest land razed on Day 1 of Uriamghat eviction

Time of India

5 days ago

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Guwahati: On the first day of a massive eviction drive to clear encroachments on forest lands in Rengma Reserve Forest at Uriamghat in Golaghat district on Tuesday morning, bulldozers razed over 100 commercial structures close to the inter-state border with Nagaland.
A govt release on Tuesday said this eviction drive marks a significant step in Assam govt's ongoing efforts to prevent illegal encroachment in protected forest areas and to promote ecological conservation in the region. The target is to clear the entire 11,000 bighas of encroached land in Uriamghat, where, according to officials, about 2,500 families with a population of not less than 12,000 are encroaching forest areas.
A large number of these families are from the central Assam districts of Nagaon and Morigaon, while there are families from north and south Assam districts who claimed to have started settling down in the forest areas of Uriamghat in the 1970s under govt patronage and started cultivation with the Nagas.
Eviction was carried out on Tuesday at Bidyapur Market in Uriamghat, located within the Rengma Reserve Forest. The operation was led by state forest department, with active support from Golaghat district administration and Golaghat police, in close coordination with the govt of Nagaland and Nagaland Police.
"During the drive, about 120 illegal commercial structures spread over approximately 4.2 hectares of forest land were demolished.
This action was part of a concerted effort to reclaim encroached reserve forest land and reinforce the govt's commitment to environmental conservation," the release read.
Over 90% of the families deserted the settlements by Monday night. One after another, houses were bulldozed since morning to restore forest area.
Forest department officials also destroyed betel nut plantations cultivated by the encroachers. There were no reports of any conflict between police and encroachers.
According to local MLA Biswajit Phukan, the encroachment was mostly by 'Miyas', a term used in Assam to refer to migrant Muslims of Bangladesh/East Pakistan origin.
The operation involved large-scale deployment of machinery, forest personnel, and administrative officials.
It was conducted under the supervision of special chief secretary MK Yadava, principal chief conservator of forests, Assam, Golaghat DC, Golaghat senior superintendent of police and other senior officials, including additional district commissioners and executive magistrates. "To ensure smooth and peaceful execution of the operation, an extensive security arrangement was put in place with the involvement of police and CRPF," the release added.
Evicted families alleged that the govt provided electricity connections to them and built houses for the poor under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). Tap water connection was provided to families in encroached lands under a govt scheme. "There are some govt schools as well on the encroached land, and houses of govt employees have also been razed," a resident said.
While Muslim families alleged that the govt targeted them but spared Nepali, Bodo, and Manipuri families, govt officials said many of those who have not received eviction notices are forest dwellers.