Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has praised the Gauhati High Court’s recent directive to fence forest land, describing it as a significant boost to the state’s efforts against encroachment. This ruling empowers the government to intensify eviction drives, effectively nullifying previous political promises to restore land to encroachers.
The court’s division bench, led by Chief Justice Ashwini Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhary, has mandated that reserved forests be fenced off and issued a warning against any new intrusions. Encroachers now have 15 days to respond to the notices and an additional 15 days to vacate the land. Furthermore, the court has held government officials responsible for allowing encroachments to expand unchecked.
Sarma contended that rampant encroachment surged under past administrations, emphasizing the need for accountability for those involved. He asserted that the ruling provides legal clarity, reinforcing the state’s determination to reclaim forest land.
Recent eviction operations highlight this commitment. In Uriamghat, Golaghat district, more than 10,000 bighas have been cleared in the past month, with nearly 2,500 bighas recently reclaimed from the Rengma Reserve Forest. To date, the government claims to have reclaimed over 1.29 lakh bighas of forest and government land across Assam.
Officials reported that these operations have dismantled numerous illegal structures within various high-density encroachment zones, including Bidyapur, Pithaghat, Sonaribeel, Doyalpur, Dolonipathar, Kherbari, Anandapur, and Madhupur.
With the High Court’s order in effect, the state is gearing up for more rigorous enforcement. Sarma has made it clear that the government will not waver in its commitment to protecting forest land.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-cm-hails-gauhati-hc-order-on-forest-fencing-vows-stronger-eviction-drive-1263456-2025-08-19?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-08-19 10:30:00
