Assam to evict farm and forest squatters in phases: FM Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Assam finance minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said BJP led government will carryout eviction drive to clear the encroachment on lands. Sarma alleged that former Congress was out to change the demography in districts in Upper Assam.

BJP in 2016 assembly polls had promised to clear settlers near UNESCO’s world heritage site of Kaziranga National Park (KNP). On Monday eviction drive was carried in which two persons were killed and 15 policemen were injured when police was pressed in to evict unauthorized settlement near KNP.

Some minority organizations had called Assam bandh on Tuesday in protest against the eviction drive. There were sporadic incidents during the bandh.

Sarma said that as three villages are cleared in Kaziranga, the government is now focusing on the clearing illegal encroachments in Mayong area in Morigaon district.