Assam's Nagaon: 1,700 Families Face Eviction as 795 Hectares of Land Cleared
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In a major eviction drive, over 1,700 families in Assam's Nagaon district are facing removal from 795 hectares of government and forest land. The operation, which began on Saturday, aims to clear encroachments from the Greater Lutumari Forest Reserve. According to officials, around 1,100 families had already vacated the area, leaving behind over 2,000 kuccha houses and 192 brick structures, including essential facilities like schools, a health center, and water treatment plants. The demolition drive will resume on Sunday, with 50 bulldozers engaged in the operation. Notices were served on the encroachers three months ago, with an initial deadline of two months to vacate the lands. The district administration later extended the deadline by an additional month at the request of the residents. The eviction drive has sparked debate, with some residents claiming they had been living in the area for over 40 years, unaware that it was forest land. The affected communities, predominantly Bengali-speaking Muslims, claim their ancestors settled in the area after their land in the 'char' or riverine areas was washed away by the Brahmaputra River. This is not the first eviction drive in the state, with over 5,000 families affected since June 16. According to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, over 160 square kilometers of land have been cleared of encroachments since he took charge in May 2021, with over 50,000 people being evicted as a result.
