GUWAHATI, Nov 5: After the Gorukhuti eviction drive in central Assam’s Darrang district, the Assam government has now initiated the process to clear areas inside Lumding Reserve Forest in Hojai district from alleged encroachment.
Assam Special DGP (law and order) G. P Singh on Friday visited the encroachment site at Lumding Reserve Forest to request people, who have settled in the area under the state forest department for farming purposes, to voluntarily vacate the area.
The move comes in the wake of a directive by the Gauhati High Court to the state government to conduct an eviction drive against illegal encroachers in the forest areas.
“We want people who have settled here for farming activities to leave the reserve forest area on their own. However, subsequently if they do not vacate the area, we will have to carry out the eviction drive in a phased manner,” Singh told reporters without divulging when the eviction would be conducted.
According to reports, the eviction drive could take place next week.
The special DGP said that during the visit he held meetings with the Hojai deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, deputy inspector general of police, divisional forest officer and chief conservator of forests to assess the situation and ensure that people leave the area on their own before the administration is compelled to conduct an eviction drive.
“People who have settled inside the reserve forest (for farming) should leave voluntarily as the area belongs to the forest department. About 80 percent of the settlers have their own homes in other places…so they should vacate the area…others can apply for rehabilitation before the Hojai district administration,” Singh said.
Reportedly, the state government had filed an affidavit, which acknowledged the existence of a large area of forest land being encroached upon under Lumding Reserve Forest.
It has also been submitted that considering such encroachment, the state authorities have prepared a plan of eviction which they intend to implement in a phase wise manner.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had, in a recent media conference here, revealed the state government’s plans to clear Lumding Reserve Forest from alleged encroachers (some of whom have settled there for ginger cultivation), but in an amicable manner.