Golaghat: In a major eviction operation on Sunday, the Assam government reclaimed nearly 1,000 bighas (over 133 hectares) of forest land in the Nambor South Reserve Forest of Golaghat district, displacing more than 350 families alleged to be encroachers. The operation marks the latest phase of the state’s ongoing five-day campaign to clear encroachments across forest reserves, following the eviction of over 1,500 families in the Rengma Reserve Forest earlier this week.
Sunday’s drive focused on the Gelajan and No. 3 Rajapukhuri areas, and was conducted without resistance, according to an official statement. The operation involved joint coordination between multiple agencies, including the Assam Forest Department, Golaghat District Administration, Assam Police, CRPF, and support from the Government of Nagaland. Senior officials, including Special Chief Secretary (Forest) M K Yadav, Golaghat Deputy Commissioner Pulak Mahanta, and Superintendent of Police Rajen Singh, were present on the ground to oversee the process. “With significant progress made today, the drive is set to continue in the coming days, reinforcing the state’s commitment to protecting its vital forest ecosystems,” the statement read.
The large-scale eviction is part of the Assam government's ecological restoration strategy, aimed at reclaiming degraded forest lands and cracking down on illegal encroachments. Authorities have emphasised that the drives are crucial for maintaining biodiversity and long-term environmental balance.
In a previous phase of the operation, around 1,500 families mostly Muslims were evicted from the Uriamghat area in the Rengma Reserve Forest, located near the Assam-Nagaland border under the Sarupathar subdivision.
The government has also issued eviction notices to 205 households in the Negheribil area of Merapani, under the Doyang Reserve Forest. That phase of the eviction is scheduled to begin on August 8.
These eviction drives underscore the Assam government’s ongoing push for environmental conservation, though they continue to raise questions about rehabilitation, transparency, and humanitarian concerns surrounding the displaced community.