Uriamghat eviction: 4.2 hectares cleared on Day 1, drive on for two more days

Uriamghat, July 29: The massive eviction drive underway in Uriamghat’s Regma forest area near Uriamghat is set to continue for at least two more days, officials said on Tuesday.

The operation, which began in full force on Tuesday morning, is part of a state-wide campaign to reclaim 11,000 bigha of forest land from alleged illegal encroachment.

Chief Forest Conservator MK Yadava, who was present at the site, said the operation is being carried out in a phased and strategic manner to ensure minimal disruption.

“It was a difficult eviction, but we have a planned approach. We covered the designated area for today. In the coming days, you’ll see the process move area by area. This has been done with proper planning to avoid unrest,” he told the press.

According to the Forest Department, the first day of the drive saw the demolition of nearly 200 small and medium-sized business establishments and over 50 residential structures, covering around 4.2 hectares of encroached land.

To maintain law and order, a heavy deployment of security personnel from multiple districts has been stationed in the area. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhilesh Kumar Singh was seen on-site, overseeing the proceedings.

While officials maintained that the operation is targeting only illegal encroachments on forest land, several residents voiced concerns about selective targeting and the absence of rehabilitation measures.

“We’ve lived here for 40 years. There are Bodo, Assamese, Hindu, and Muslim people here, but the authorities seem to focus only on us. If the government wants to evict us, they should at least offer us a place to go,” said Akbar Ali, who claimed his family migrated from Morigaon decades ago.

Eyewitnesses reported emotional scenes as residents broke down in tears watching their homes and shops being reduced to rubble. Some expressed sorrow, while others criticised the government’s approach.

Bulldozers, accompanied by over 150 excavators, continued to roll through the area as officials marked more settlements for demolition in the coming days.

The Regma forest, situated close to the Assam–Nagaland border, has long been flagged by authorities as a zone of unchecked encroachment and alleged anti-social activities.

The ongoing operation is part of the Assam government’s wider push to reclaim encroached forest and government land across the state.