300 bighas to be cleared in Golaghat's Negheribill on August 8, families exit in haste

Golaghat, August 3: A major eviction operation in Negheribill along the Merapani border in Golaghat is scheduled on August 8, with the district administration and Forest Department preparing to clear approximately 300 bighas of encroached land. The drive will affect around 205 families residing in the area.

Following the announcement of the eviction date, tension has gripped the region. Panic spread among the villagers after Assam Chief Secretary M.K. Yadav addressed a press conference in Sarupathar on August 2, reinforcing the government’s decision.

Since then, an estimated 80% of the population in Negheribill has begun relocating, carrying their belongings and dismantling makeshift homes.

Some families have reportedly sold their possessions at low prices, hoping to move before the authorities arrive.

Ahead of the drive, about 40 families have approached the Gauhati High Court, requesting a temporary extension.

Eviction drive in progress

The court granted a brief reprieve, extending the deadline for these families. However, officials confirmed that the eviction for the remaining residents will proceed as planned on August 8.

Local sources indicated that the village now bears a deserted look, with only a handful of families still making last-minute preparations to leave.

Speaking on the condition of the villagers, the village chief of Negheribill said, “The administration announced the eviction at a press meet yesterday. Since then, people have started moving out. Many are carrying away their belongings, some are selling them off. We don’t have an exact count of how many families have left, but we’ve seen a large number leaving the village. All we want now is that the eviction happens peacefully without any violence or confrontation.”

District officials have maintained that the eviction is being carried out in accordance with legal procedures, following repeated notices and warnings issued to encroachers over the past months. Security arrangements are reportedly being planned to ensure a smooth and incident-free operation.

400 homes razed in Dakshin Nambor eviction

Meanwhile, an extensive eviction drive was conducted in the Rajapukhuri and Gelajan areas under Dakshin Nambor on Sunday, leaving hundreds of families displaced.

Approximately 140 houses were demolished in Gelajan, while around 250 were razed in nearby Rajapukhuri. Security personnel maintained a strong presence as bulldozers and excavators reduced homes to rubble.

In Gelajan, the demolition began early in the morning under tight security. Several families were still inside their homes when the machinery moved in. Many residents were seen vacating only after the demolitions had already started.

“We came here from Nagaon after the river eroded our home. We started farming, sold fish in Sarupathar — this is how we lived,” said a man evicted from Gelajan.

Among the evicted were also families who had long-standing civic and political connections in the area.

“One of my family members served as the ward member for Gelajan under Madhyampur Panchayat. We were given a BJP ticket and won twice. Though the party fielded another candidate this year, the BJP still retained the ward. There were nearly 140 households in Gelajan,” he added.

Many of those affected belong to the Naga community, and claimed they had settled in the area years ago.

Concerns are also growing among local Assamese families, some of whom fear the land cleared during the eviction may once again be occupied by displaced settlers.