The Assam government has launched a major eviction drive in Sribhumi district to reclaim encroached forest land, with authorities serving eviction notices to more than 2,000 families living in reserved forest areas. The operation is being carried out primarily in the Patharkandi region and surrounding forest blocks, officials said on Saturday.
According to the district administration and the Forest Department, the eviction drive aims to clear illegal settlements from reserved forest land as part of the state’s broader effort to protect forest resources and restore degraded areas. Notices were issued earlier, directing residents to vacate the land within a stipulated time, following which the clearance operation was initiated.
The drive covers several reserved forest areas, including Madhurban, Narayanpur, Chagalmowa, Madhabpur, Badshahi and Dohalia. A large deployment of police and forest personnel has been made to maintain law and order during the operation. Heavy machinery such as bulldozers and excavators has been pressed into service to remove structures, while some families have begun dismantling their homes on their own after receiving the notices.
Officials said the land being cleared falls under protected forest categories and had been encroached upon over the years. “The action is being taken strictly in accordance with the law to reclaim forest land and prevent further encroachment,” a senior district official stated.
However, the eviction has raised humanitarian concerns, as many affected families claim they have been residing in the area for decades and have limited alternative arrangements. Several residents have appealed to the government for rehabilitation and relief measures.
The Sribhumi operation is part of a series of eviction drives undertaken across Assam in recent months, as the state government intensifies efforts to clear encroachments from forest and government land. Authorities have maintained that such actions are necessary for environmental protection, while civil society groups continue to call for a balanced approach that includes proper rehabilitation of displaced families.
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