A major eviction operation commenced in Assam's Doboka on Thursday, targeting the clearance of nearly 6,000 bighas of forest land within the Jamuna Maudanga Reserve Forest. Officials stated the land had been under illegal occupation by more than 1,500 families, predominantly from a minority community. This marks the first such drive of the year in the state, aligning with the government's broader objective to reclaim and restore forest lands from encroachments.
Scale of Encroachment and Swift Clearance
Hojai District Commissioner, Bidyut Bikash Bhagawati, provided detailed figures, revealing that the reserve forest spans 1,121.70 hectares (approximately 8,385 bighas). Of this, a significant portion—770 hectares or 5,756 bighas—had been encroached upon for decades. "Some claim that they were residing on the land for 20 years while some say they have occupied the forest land over the last 30 or more years," Bhagawati noted.
The clearance operation progressed rapidly. By Friday, officials reported that around 70% of the encroached area had been cleared. This was achieved after the demolition of more than 1,500 structures, which included both pucca and kutcha houses. The eviction continued on Saturday to clear the remaining 30% of the encroached areas.
Peaceful Execution and Legal Backing
Authorities emphasized that the drive was conducted peacefully and in strict compliance with a court order. Police personnel were deployed in advance to maintain order. "No resistance was found during the eviction. It was peaceful. Almost all vacated on their own," District Commissioner Bhagawati stated. He added that about 80% of the families evicted possessed land outside the forest area and had settled on the reserve land primarily for cultivation purposes.
The legal foundation for the action was a directive from the Gauhati High Court. Following the court's order, encroachers were initially given a 15-day deadline to vacate, which was later extended by an additional 15 days. The forest department, acting on instructions from the South Nagaon forest division, conducted a thorough survey through the Yamuna Valley Range before issuing the final eviction notices.
Part of a Larger Conservation Push
This eviction drive is not an isolated incident but part of a sustained campaign by the Assam government. Officials recalled that the last major operation took place in November in Nagaon district, where 6,000 bighas of the Lutumari Reserve Forest were cleared. Since 2021, the state government has successfully cleared over 1.45 lakh bighas of encroached land across Assam, underscoring a determined effort to protect its forest resources and biodiversity.
The focus remains on restoring the ecological balance of these vital forest tracts, with the Jamuna Maudanga operation setting the tone for the year's conservation and land retrieval efforts.
