GUWAHATI, JAN 10: To clear 500 hectares of forest land in Assam’s Lakhimpur district, a massive eviction drive was conducted by the district administration from Tuesday morning.
The eviction drive was conducted to clear 500 hectares of forest land in Adhasona and Mohaghuli villages of Lakhimpur district in Assam.
According to authorities in Assam, out of the total 2560.25 hectares of the reserved forest, only 29 hectares are free of any encroachment.
Over 700 families had allegedly encroached into the lands of Pabho reserve forest in Lakhimpur district of Assam over the last decade.
“Around 60 excavators and tractors were used for the eviction driMoreover, to prevent any untoward incident during the eviction process, 600 security personnel were deployed at the site of eviction site,” said Lakhimpur additional superintendent of police Runa Neog.
The illegal settlers include people from different parts of Assam, as well as those displace due to floods and erosion.
The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP after assuming power in Assam have started eviction drive to free government’s land illegally occupied by encroachers.
In 2021, the Darrang district administration in Assam’s Sipajhar revenue circle cleared 8000 bighas of land illegally occupied by encroachers.