The Assam government has begun one of its most comprehensive forest expansion restrictions , targeting nearly 11,000 bighas (approximately 3,600 acres) across the Rengma Reserve Forest at Uriamghat in Golaghat district, near the Assam–Nagaland boundary.
Scope of the Eviction Drive & Deployment
- The eviction operation commenced in the Bidyapur market area, with authorities progressing into residential zones using over 100 bulldozers and 150 excavators
- Security support included around 1,500 personnel from Assam Police, CRPF, and Forest Department teams.
- Notices were issued in nine villages, including Bidyapur, Madhupur and Kherbari, affecting about 1,500 to 2,500 households with an estimated 12,000 residents
Affected Populations & Pre‑Eviction Compliance
Officials report that around 70–90% of targeted households vacated the land voluntarily before the operation began, with many returning belongings or dismantling structures themselves.
Some families holding Forest Rights Committee (FRC) certificates from Bodo, Nepali and other indigenous communities were exempted from eviction.
Government Rationale & Official Statements
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that encroachment on forest lands—often converted into betel nut plantations linked to alleged mafia networks—undermines ecological balance and indigenous rights. Sarma highlighted that over 3,000 bighas had been illegally occupied over eight years.
The operation adheres to legal protocols under the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891 (amended 1995), with preliminary surveys, legal reviews and coordination between forestry and law enforcement agencies.
CM Sarma confirmed that over 1.19 lakh bighas (~160 sq km) have already been reclaimed across Assam during multiple eviction drives in recent years, with natural forest regeneration and wildlife recovery underway.