Forest lands become encroachers' paradise

Public for zero-tolerance tactic, break land-grabbers spine

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Dec 10: Even though Dispur recently pulled all its men and machines to successfully carry out a massive eviction drive at Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, similar drives in other wildlife sanctuaries, tiol parks and reserved forests in the State might prove to be a herculean task going by rampant encroachments that took place there in the recent years.

The situation has reached its present status as the State Government did not initiate any move to nip in the bud encroachers’ attempts to start settling in these tiol parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved forests. The erstwhile 15 years regime by Tarun Gogoi in Dispur had only allowed the situation to aggravate and it has now reached such a position that eviction in any forest site immediately becomes a huge law-and-order problem.

On other hand, utter failure of the State Forest department to clearly demarcate the boundaries of tiol parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved forests can also be attributed to the present situation. Even in the case of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, the Forest department is yet to make clear demarcation of the boundary.  Under such circumstances there are reasons to believe that many start settling at forest lands knowingly or unknowingly.

According to official records, areas measuring 1.97 lakh hectares at 296 reserved forests in the State are currently under the clutches of encroachers. Out of the total encroached areas 40,000 hectares are being occupied by ga people.

Similarly, encroachers have settled along 141 square kilometers of lands at 23 tiol parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

A retired Forest department official told The Sentinel that there are lacue as well limitations in his former department to become tough against encroachers. He, however, said only a zero tolerance against any form of encroachment on forest lands will only protect the tiol parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved forests from encroachers.

“Encroachment on forest lands takes place in two different ways. In one way encroachers start settling slowly. But in the other way when it comes to organized encroachments, a huge number of families settle in forest areas overnight. Since such organized encroachments are backed by politicians and other influential forces, the Forest department staffs and officials often face strong resistance or even physical assault whenever they go to evict such encroachers,” the official said.

Manpower crunch is another reason or limitation of the Forest department to carry out eviction drives at regular intervals, said the official, adding that failure of the Revenue department to clearly demarcate the boundary of non-forest lands leads to encroachments in forest lands.

Sources said the Revenue department is solely responsible for phenomenon such as forest lands turning into revenue lands.

Forest lovers, wildlife activists and people in general are, however, refusing to accept any ground or excuse for letting tiol parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved forests to be grabbed by encroachers.

“What is the relevance of existence of a massive department like Forest if they cannot even prevent encroachments? Top Forest department officials are turning blind eyes to encroachments due to their unholy nexus with encroachers. Encroachment is deep rooted racket involving encroachers, forest department officials, politicians and mafias. The Sarbanda Sonowal Government will have to show a great deal of political will, courage and determition to break this racket,” Devasish Bordoloi, a wildlife lover said.