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

Lakhimpur (Assam) [India], January 10 (ANI): The administration in Assam’s Lakhimpur on Tuesday began a massive eviction drive to clear around 500 hectares of forest land in the Pabho reserve forest in the district.

Heavy security has been deployed in the area and the district administration seen to be using excavators and tractors for the operation.

Meanwhile, many families who encroached on the forest lands have destroyed their houses and left the area.

Earlier on December 26, the district administration of Barpeta district of Assam carried out a massive eviction drive 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.