Over 700 families evicted as Assam clears 6,200 bighas in Sonitpur

Sonitpur, Jan 6: The two-day eviction drive on compensatory afforestation land inside the Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) in Assam’s Sonitpur district concluded on Tuesday, with the administration clearing around 6,200 bighas (nearly 830 hectares) of land.

The drive began on the morning of January 5 across forest areas spanning Sonitpur and Nagaon districts.

The affected locations included areas under the Tezpur Sadar and Dhekiajuli revenue circles, such as Jamuktol, Arimari, Siyalichar, Baghetapu, Galatidubi, Lathimari, Kundulichar, Purba Dubramari and Batulichar.

“Nearly 710 families had illegally settled on about 6,200 bighas of forest land inside the protected wildlife sanctuary.

Over the two-day operation, the administration successfully evicted all illegal occupants and freed the encroached land,” Sonitpur District Commissioner Ananda Kumar Das said.

Officials said the alleged encroachers had constructed houses and cultivated crops inside the Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary. Das added that despite requests from the occupants to defer the eviction due to the winter season, the administration proceeded with the drive as the settlements were illegal.

Sonitpur Senior Superintendent of Police Barun Purakayastha confirmed that the eviction was carried out without any untoward incident.

A massive security arrangement was put in place, with over 300 police personnel deployed. During the operation, 36 excavators and 60 tractors were pressed into service to ensure the eviction was conducted smoothly.

Tuesday’s operation concluded around 4 pm, with machinery and security forces stationed at Baghetapu, officials said.

Earlier, in one of the largest eviction drives in the state, the administration had cleared 2,099 hectares of land in the Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining villages in February last year, affecting around 12,800 people.

Officials said the land had been cleared and earmarked for compensatory afforestation following the 2023 eviction drive but was allegedly reoccupied within months, despite fresh notices issued ahead of the latest operation.

In July last year, one person was killed and at least seven others were injured in a clash between alleged encroachers and forest guards at the sanctuary when the former attempted to reoccupy the evicted land.