Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has declared that the state government's campaign to remove illegal encroachments from forest and government land will continue relentlessly. The CM emphasized that this is a long-term mission crucial for protecting public resources.
A Persistent Campaign Against Encroachment
The Chief Minister's firm statement came just a day after a major eviction operation at the Lutumari reserve forest in the Nagaon district. This forest, spanning approximately 6,000 bighas, was found to be entirely occupied by more than 1,700 families in an illegal manner. The drive at Lutumari is part of a sustained effort that has been a hallmark of the Sarma-led government since it assumed power in 2021.
"This task will take a long time, but it will continue. The forest and government land have to be made encroachment-free," CM Sarma asserted, outlining the administration's unwavering stance on the issue.
Four Years of Eviction Drives: The Scale of Reclamation
Official records reveal the extensive scale of the anti-encroachment operations undertaken over the past four years. According to government data:
- Over 1.29 lakh bighas (more than 42,500 acres) of government and forest land have been cleared of illegal occupation since 2021.
- Despite this significant recovery, a vast area of around 29 lakh bighas (over 9.5 lakh acres) still remains under encroachment across the state.
The eviction drives have frequently targeted areas where the alleged encroachers are predominantly from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community, a point that has made these operations politically and socially sensitive.
The Road Ahead for Assam's Land
The government's resolve indicates that more such drives are on the horizon. The immediate action at Lutumari reserve forest serves as a clear signal that the policy is being actively implemented. The primary stated goal is to restore and preserve Assam's forest ecosystems and secure government land for public use and development projects.
With a massive area still to be addressed, the eviction initiative is poised to remain a central and contentious feature of the state's governance strategy for the foreseeable future. The administration maintains that freeing this land is essential for environmental conservation and lawful land management.
