Assam launches eviction drive in Nagaon, clears 795 hectares of reserved forest land

The Assam administration on Saturday launched a large-scale eviction drive in Nagaon district to clear encroachments from 795 hectares of reserved forest land, affecting nearly 1,500 families, officials said.

The operation began early in the morning in the Lutimari area under a heavy security presence. Officials said eviction notices were first issued three months ago, asking residents to vacate within two months. On receiving a request, the district administration granted an additional month for families to move out.

According to authorities, over 1,100 families had already vacated their homes—both pucca and kuccha—dismantling the structures themselves before the drive commenced. Demolition of the remaining houses is being carried out by the administration.

Some evicted residents claimed they had lived in the locality for more than 40 years and were unaware that their homes stood on designated forest land.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly defended such eviction drives, stating that more than 160 sq km of land has been cleared of encroachments since he assumed office in May 2021. According to official figures, over 50,000 people have been removed during multiple anti-encroachment operations statewide.

After a brief pause, the drives resumed on June 16 this year, resulting in the eviction of over 5,000 families across different regions.

A significant number of those displaced belong to the Bengali-speaking Muslim community. Many of them say their families had settled in these areas decades ago, after losing their land in the char (riverine) region due to severe erosion caused by the Brahmaputra.

Officials maintain that all evictions are being conducted strictly on forest and government land, following due procedure and prior notices.