Assam begins forest encroachment survey, eviction drive to take a decade

Guwahati: The Assam government has asked the Deputy Commissioner to do a survey of encroachment in the forest land of the state. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that it will take at least 10 years to clear this encroachment.

Sarma while talking to media persons on Friday said, “All Deputy commissioners are instructed to find out the level of encroachment in the forest area. We will see that the forest is clear and these people are evicted except those people who are forest dwellers. Tribal people can stay in the forest provided they have come prior to 2005.”

He added, “But this is a huge task and at least 10 years will be required as the level of encroachment is very high beyond immigration. Even if I do one eviction every month it will take 10 years to clear this.”


Sarma on Thursday said that the government has done a survey of non-indigenous people staying in forest land in Guwahati while hinting that an eviction drive will be initiated to clear the same.

He said that will soon lessen the burden of Guwahati as the city too is burdened. Talking to media persons, he said, “We have done a survey of non-indigenous people residing in the forest land of Guwahati. We have not surveyed the indigenous people. Those people who have settled in these lands to disturb the demography we have surveyed them. To ascertain the number of such people.”

He added, “Indigenous people will get land right certificates under the Mission Basundhara 3. This survey is only for forest and not revenue land and indigenous people have nothing to worry about. The survey has not included those who have lived here for three generations, and it has nothing to do with religion. Some people are trying to create panic, let's be clear about this that the government will not evict indigenous people. People are with us, they trust, and they will not panic.”

The Assam government has launched a series of eviction drives. The Assam government has reclaimed 182 square kilometres of land from encroachers.