Gauhati High Court has ordered eviction drives in four century‑old reserve forests in Assam, giving hundreds of families living there a 30‑day window to remove their belongings and make alternative arrangements. The direction came as the court disposed of 12 writ petitions filed by 823 individuals who had challenged eviction notices issued by the state government.
The forests named in the order are Lutumai and Borpani in Nagaon, Jamuna Moudanga in Hojai, and South Nambor and Doyang in Golaghat; some of these reserves were notified as far back as 1917. Justice Devashis Baruah told state officials on Monday to take active steps to remove the petitioners and all encroachers from the reserved forests if they fail to vacate within the 30‑day period.
In his written direction the judge emphasised that environmental protection and safeguarding forests and wildlife are public rights that “outweigh the private rights of the petitioners to reside within the reserve forests.” The court rejected attempts by encroachers to rely on civic papers as proof of entitlement, ruling that “Aadhaar cards, election IDs, names in the electoral rolls, electricity connections, certificates issued by panchayat authorities cannot be regarded as documents which would entitle the petitioners to reside within the reserved forests.”
The order underlined the constitutional duty of the state to protect and improve the environment, noting that the evictions are “in consonance with the constitutional goals enshrined under Article 48A of the Constitution.” The court pointed out that no person may reside in a reserved forest except as permitted under applicable regulations or under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
The bench also directed the managing director of Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) to disconnect electricity connections to the petitioners and all encroachers after 30 days from the date of the judgment. The court clarified that customary practices such as jhumming cultivation or operations under the Taungya system do not confer a right to reside inside reserved forests; the only exception is for those who fall within the statutory definition of forest‑dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers under the 2006 Act.
The order sets a strict timetable for clearing encroachments and underscores the court’s stance that protection of forest land and wildlife takes precedence over individual settlement claims based on civil documents.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/hc-orders-evictions-in4-reserve-forests-of-state/articleshow/131616014.cms
Category:
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-06-09 22:21:00
