Assam: Eviction drive to clear 500 hectares of forest land in Lakhimpur

The authorities in Assam’s Lakhimpur launched a huge eviction effort on Tuesday to remove roughly 500 hectares of forest land in the district’s Pabho reserve forest.

Heavy security has been deployed in the region, and the district administration has been spotted operating excavators and tractors.

Meanwhile, several residents who encroached on forest grounds have demolished their homes and relocated.

Previously, on December 26, the district government of Assam’s Barpeta district conducted a large eviction effort against encroachers.

The eviction drive was carried out in the presence of heavy security at the Baghbar Satra Kanara area where some people have encroached on nearly 400 bighas of government land. Police had also detained suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali who staged a protest against the eviction.

Sunbar Chutia, Circle Officer, Barpeta said, “The district administration has evicted around 45 families who illegally encroached on the land of Satra Kanara.”

“Earlier, we had issued notice three times to them (evicted families) and a public notice. The entire eviction drive was conducted peacefully. These lands will be government’s land and the government will use these lands as per requirement,” Sunbar Chutia said.

The Assam government had previously carried out a massive eviction drive at Batadraba in the Nagaon district.