The Assam government is preparing to carry out one of its largest eviction drives in recent years, targeting over 10,000 bighas (approximately 3,300 acres) of alleged encroached forest land in Golaghat district. The operation, set to begin on Tuesday, will primarily focus on areas in and around the Rengma Reserve Forest in Sarupathar sub-division, along the sensitive Assam-Nagaland border.
Authorities estimate that the drive could affect at least 2,000 families residing across 30 villages where forest land has reportedly been converted into agricultural plots. Eviction notices were served last week, prompting many families to begin vacating villages such as Chilanijan, Kherbari, and Dayalpur.
The Forest Department, in coordination with district administration, has divided the eviction zone into nine sectors to facilitate smooth execution. Surveys have been ongoing to demarcate the encroached areas and identify illegal settlements.
A significant number of those affected are believed to be settlers from Assam’s Nagaon, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Cachar, Dhubri, Barpeta, and Hojai districts, as well as from neighbouring states such as West Bengal and Bihar. Many among them reportedly belong to minority communities.
To maintain law and order, the Assam government has deployed a senior police officer from state headquarters to oversee the operation. Security has been tightened with the presence of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel alongside local police forces.
The upcoming drive follows Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s visit to Uriamghat on July 25, where he reviewed ground conditions and stated that approximately 70 percent of the encroachers had already vacated the forest area voluntarily. “The state is committed to reclaiming protected land from illegal encroachment,” Sarma said.
Assam’s intensified anti-encroachment campaign has already cleared more than 1.29 lakh bighas (roughly 42,500 acres) over the past four years. However, the Chief Minister recently acknowledged that nearly 29 lakh bighas (over 9.5 lakh acres) of land remain under encroachment across the state.
Amid growing tensions in the border region, the Nagaland government has issued an advisory to districts along the interstate boundary to remain vigilant and prevent any possible influx of displaced individuals during or after the eviction operation.
