Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma affirmed the state government’s commitment to ongoing eviction efforts against illegal occupation of government and forest land, citing approximately 26–27 lakh bighas of land currently under encroachment across the state. A recent eviction operation took place in Karimganj district on February 10 as part of this initiative. Sarma mentioned that the extent of land requiring eviction is expected to decrease significantly once land rights are regularized for eligible indigenous and tribal communities.
The Chief Minister emphasized a nuanced approach by the government, distinguishing between alleged illegal encroachers and indigenous or tribal residents entitled to land rights under existing provisions, especially in forest regions. In a related development, the Supreme Court on February 10 permitted the Assam government to establish a committee to identify unauthorized occupants in the Doyang Reserved Forest and nearby villages in Golaghat district, ensuring a fair process before any eviction actions are taken.
Recognizing forests as crucial natural assets, the apex court highlighted encroachment on forest land as a major environmental governance challenge. It mandated that any eviction proceedings can only proceed after confirming encroachment. In cases where unauthorized occupation is within a reserve forest, occupants will be granted a 15-day notice to vacate after a formal order is issued. The eviction drives are part of Assam’s broader strategy to reclaim unlawfully occupied land while concurrently working to provide land rights to deserving indigenous and tribal households.
