With limited resources, forest STAFF fight against encroachers

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In Assam, vast areas of forest reserve land are under encroachment. The frontline forest staff have a tough job of manning lakhs of hectares of forest land. But they are under-equipped because of which they cannot completely prevent encroachers from encroaching upon forest land.

There are 33 forest divisions in the State. A total of 2.33 lakh hectares of forest land is under encroachment, which accounts for around 30% of the total forest reserve land in the State. This large-scale encroachment has been going on for the past few decades. In 1996, 2.33 lakh hectares of forest land had been encroached upon. The encroached area increased to 3.64 lakh hectares in 2021. The State Government has carried out eviction drives in some forest areas. But a few eviction drives will not suffice to clear forest land in Assam from encroachments.

A member of a forest guards’ association said, “The job of forest guard is not easy. We are the frontline staff. We have to work in difficult terrain and under difficult conditions. But our housing quarters in the forest camps lack basic facilities like electricity, sanitation and water supply. We are facing the problem of manpower shortage. Moreover, we need sophisticated arms to deal with encroachers and poachers who use modern firearms. In many places, the forest guards have to do duty 24X7. But they are underpaid. In many camps, temporary forest staff have been engaged who have not been given proper training.”

He further said, “We have apprised the higher authorities about the problems that we face but our issues have not been properly addressed. How are we expected to put up a strong fight against encroachers under such circumstances?”

Recently, some people from Arunachal Pradesh had encroached upon land in the Dulung reserve forest in Lakhimpur. The limited forest staff in the reserve forest were outnumbered by the large number of encroachers. Such incidents are often reported from the border areas of the State.

According to official data, forest land in Assam has been encroached upon by indigenous people, doubtful citizens and neighbouring states. Golaghat forest division has the most encroachment on forest land – 87,000 hectares; followed by Sonitpur (east and west division) 69,000 hectares; Dhemaji division 31,000 hectares; Haltugaon 16,000 hectares; Nagaon (south) 12,000 hectares; Kamrup forest division 21,000 hectares; Jorhat forest division 18,000 hectares etc.

As per constitutional provision, the forestry has come under the Concurrent list and the forest department has its authority to maintain the forest, its produce along with all sorts of wildlife. According to official sources, the government has planned eviction drives to free forest land of encroachment in a phased manner. But this will take time, as a lot of planning is required before each eviction drive.

Sources further said that the State Forest Department has given special thrust to the development of forest roads to protect the forests, forest products, and wildlife. Till 2020, 12,513 km of motorable road had been constructed in forest areas and 10,949 km of non-motorable road.

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