Lakhimpur Forest Division launched Eviction drive at Kakoi Reserve Forest

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The Lakhimpur Forest Division launched an eviction drive against illegal encroachment by a section of people from across the border at the Kakoi-Rajgarh area on Tuesday. The team of officials led by Lakhimpur Forest Ranger Bob Christie Kutum pulled down some establishments constructed by the aggressors. However, there are many more such illegal establishments in the same area under the Kakoi Reserve Forest of Assam.

Of late, encroachments by Arunachali people in Kakoi, Dollung and Ranga Reserve Forests within Lakhimpur district have assumed new dimension. This is despite the fact that such agressions have violated the Supreme Court order for maintenance of status quo by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh over the vexed boundary issue. What is a matter of concern is that though unabated encroachment by people from across the border still continues inside Lakhimpur district of Assam, neither the Lakhimpur district administration nor the State Government has yet taken any steps to stop such aggressions.

Mentionably, after the establishment of residential houses, the Kakoi Revenue Circle Office under the Arunachal Pradesh government, a school building and continuation of fish-rearing activities by digging several ponds crossing the inter-State boundary, the aggressors have now resorted to unabated massive deforestation on areas under the Kakoi Reserve Forest.

Recently, the Arunachali aggressors completed the construction of a worship house, named Niyokum Namlo, at the Kakoi Rajgarh Bengali area under the Kakoi Reserve Forest Assam in Assam. A detailed report on the sensitive issue was published in the March 12, 2020 issue of The Sentinel, in the wake of which members of Lakhimpur AASU staged a demonstration demanding action against the encroachers.

Also Read: Unabated Encroachments in Kakoi Reserve Forest in Lakhimpur continue

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