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New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Assam eviction drives aimed at 'creating narrative' before assembly polls: Experts
On these recent evictions, eminent advocate Santanu Borthakur said: "If it is a forest land, then whosoever stays there for whatever longer period, it does not give them legal rights to settle there permanently. " However, targeting only one community, as seen in the recent cases in Golaghat is "absolutely discriminatory", he added. "The CM's recent comment that no eviction will take place against people from other communities is anti-Constitution and not permitted by law," Borthakur said. In Rengma, 1,500 Muslim families were evicted. The remaining families are from Bodo, Nepali, Manipuri and other communities, who have certificates from the Forest Rights Committee (FRC). According to Kaustubh Deka, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Dibrugarh University, the eviction drive is a significant and sensitive moment for the state, and the whole episode highlights the critical bearing of the state's complex socio-political history. "The government must maintain a fair balance between three aspects. One, the allegation that genuine Indian citizens are being selectively targeted, needs to be addressed in all earnestness. Two, the rights given to people under progressive environmental legislations such as 'Forest Rights Act' need to be respected," he added. Also, care should be taken that the ongoing process doesn't trigger complications in Assam's already volatile border dispute scenario with many of its neighbouring states, Deka said. Talking about alleged encroachments in inter-state border areas in Rengma, advocate Borthakur said that normally in border areas, the government settles people in the buffer zones so that no encroachment takes place from the opposite side. "We can see such habitation in all border areas. Usually minorities, Gorkha and Bihari people, are settled in such locations," he added. Barua too supported his claim and said that in all the border areas with neighbouring states, usually people or communities originally from outside are settled. "The indigenous people usually do not live there. People from communities like Adivasis, Gorkhas and minorities live in such areas," he added. The reserve forests witnessing recent evictions are along Assam-Nagaland border, where people from the neighbouring state had allegedly attempted to occupy land. The evicted people claimed that their previous generation was settled in the forest by the Golap Borbora government in 1978-79 and the AGP government, which came to power in 1985. Borthakur said, "Without considering the historical background, carrying out an eviction is not appropriate. Legally, the government has the power, but the manner in which that power was exercised is not acceptable. It is inhuman and arbitrary." He also stressed that evicting people without rehabilitation is wrong. Echoing similar sentiments, Deka said, "This is against all democratic norms and practices. Utterly inhumane." Even the Supreme Court judgement says that even pavement dwellers can not be evicted without rehabilitation.
Scroll.in
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Assam: Evicted residents claim government had helped them settle in disputed area in 1970s
Residents displaced by an eviction drive launched by the Assam government on Tuesday in the Golaghat district claimed that the government itself had helped them settle in the area over 40 years ago to prevent alleged encroachment from Nagaland, the Morung Express reported on Wednesday. The Assam government launched the eviction drive in the Golaghat district on Tuesday morning to clear alleged encroachments on more than 3,600 acres of forest land in the Rengma Reserve Forest. Nearly 1,500 Muslim families are likely to be displaced by the drive. Residents who were evicted on Tuesday from the Bidyapur village in Golaghat claimed that the settlement was established under the patronage of the Assam government in the late 1970s in a contested area on the state's border with Nagaland, called the disputed area belt. Both states have questioned each other's claims on the disputed area belt for more than 60 years. One of the displaced residents in Bidyapur told the Morung Express: 'We are branded illegal settlers today, but my parents were settled here by the Assam government when [Janata Party leader] Golap Borbora was Chief Minister [1978–79].' Ali Kazi, who was among those who received eviction notices, said that the villagers were brought to the area in the 1980s to protect the forest land from 'encroachment' by Nagaland, The New Indian Express reported. 'Where will we go from here?' Kazi asked. 'My father had come from Nagaon district around 40 years ago, but I was born here.' Kazi also stated that the residents had requested the administration to settle them at an alternative place, but they refused, The New Indian Express reported. Another resident, Akbar Ali, accused the state government of selective targeting during the drive, reported The Assam Tribune. 'We have lived here for 40 years,' Ali was quoted as saying. '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.' However, Golap Borbora's son Pankaj Borbora said that under his father's government, land distribution had taken place in Doyang, not the Uriamghat area where the evictions are currently taking place. 'And it was done for indigenous, landless communities who had been struggling for land rights for decades,' he said in a Facebook post. The state government has claimed that the area being cleared was an illegal settlement. 'Around 2,000 families are living in those areas,' PTI quoted an unidentified official as saying. 'Out of them, notices were served to about 1,500 families, who illegally settled here. The remaining families are forest dwellers and have certificates from the Forest Rights Committee.' Those whose homes are being demolished belong to the Muslim community, while those who have certificates from the Forest Rights Committee are from Bodo, Nepali, Manipuri and other communities, the official added. HCM Dr @himantabiswa visited Uriamghat in Golaghat district to inspect sites identified for eviction of encroached govt land. HCM stated that eviction of VGR, PGR, Satra & forest land will continue in phases. — Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) July 25, 2025 Earlier this month, 15 residents of the Golaghat district challenged eviction notices sent to them on July 21 and July 24 before the Gauhati High Court. In response to the petitions, the High Court on Tuesday granted them time till August 7 to vacate the land. This is the sixth eviction carried out in Assam since June 16. On June 16, Goalpara district authorities demolished the homes of 690 families, all of them belonging to Bengali-origin Muslims, who were living on an allegedly encroached land in the Hasila Beel, a wetland. The families told Scroll that many of them were living in the area before it was declared a wetland. On July 3, around 220 families were evicted during an anti-encroachment drive in upper Assam's Lakhimpur district. The district authorities said the families were living on 77 acres of land at four locations, including three Village Grazing Reserves. Dhubri District Magistrate Dibakar Nath told Scroll on July 8 that the administration had demolished the homes of 1,400 Muslim families of Bengali origin from nearly 1,157 acres of government land to make way for a power project. On July 12, authorities in Goalpara cleared 140 hectares of land in the Paikan Reserve Forest, displacing 1,080 families, most of whom are Muslims of Bengali origin. Between 2016 and August 2024, more than 10,620 families – the majority of them Muslim – were evicted from government land, according to data provided by the state revenue and disaster management department.
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Assam govt launches major eviction drive in Golaghat to clear encroached forest land
Assam government has started the state's biggest eviction drive in Golaghat. The move will clear over 3,600 acres of land in the Rengma Reserve Forest at Uriamghat, bordering Nagaland Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Guwahati: Assam government has started the state's biggest eviction drive in Golaghat. The move will clear over 3,600 acres of land in the Rengma Reserve Forest at Uriamghat, bordering Nagaland.A senior government officer who does not want to be named told ET, 'The move will affect 1,500 families. Recently several families staying in the area had vacated the area after receiving notice of eviction. Around 500 families are forest dwellers and have certificates from the Forest Rights Committee (FRC)," the official 1500 security forces are deployed in the area. On July 25 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Uriamghat in Golaghat district to inspect areas that have been encroached stated that thousands of bighas of land in the area had been unlawfully occupied. He observed that certain families had encroached upon as much as 300 to 400 bighas, using the land for various economic that the government could not remain indifferent to such developments, he affirmed that appropriate action would follow, urging the public to cooperate with the measures the State Government intends to had informed that nearly 70% of the encroachers had already vacated the land voluntarily. He added that those who had settled on the land came from various districts in Assam - such as Cachar, Sribhumi, Dhubri, Barpeta, Hojai, Nagaon, and Morigaon - as well as from other states including West Bengal and noted reports indicating that Uriamghat had emerged as a centre for criminal activity owing to these encroachments. He expressed confidence that peace could be restored to the area with public cooperation once the land is noted that measures would be taken to protect the reclaimed land and that the Forest Department could initiate reforestation and related activities. He affirmed that efforts would be directed towards ensuring residents benefit from these interventions. He also disclosed that two individuals suspected of being key figures behind the encroachments have already been arrested. Furthermore, he stated that the government maintains a comprehensive list of encroached areas across the state that are to be outfit NSCN/GPRN (Niki) had alleged that the recent evictions carried out by the Assam government are part of a deliberate strategy to seize Naga ancestral lands, branding them with the 'misleading' label of Disturbed Area a statement, the group said the evictions were 'neither a surprise nor unexpected' but a carefully orchestrated effort rooted in colonial-era boundaries imposed by the British without consultation with the Naga people. The outfit further accused successive Assam governments of settling illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (IBIs) in disputed border areas as a covert means of territorial recently said in the last four years 160 square km of land has been cleared from eviction and nearly 50,000 people are evicted. 'Till now we have managed to clear 40 percent of the forest land from encroachment. Area under encroachment is over 63 lakh bighas and forest is 29 lakh bighas.'
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Thrissur becomes first district to convert tribal settlements with individual forest rights into revenue villages
Thrissur has made history by becoming the first district in Kerala to convert tribal settlements (forest villages) with individual forest rights into formal revenue villages. District Collector Arjun Pandian handed over the official notification declaring Kakkinikkad settlement in Thekkumkara panchayat (Talappilly taluk) as a revenue village to the Oorumooppan (tribal chieftain) Anilan. Separate tax register As part of the conversion process, a separate BTR (Basic Tax Register) has been created for the land, enabling rightful residents to pay land tax like any other landowner. The notification was issued after approval from the Forest Rights Committee and the Subdivisional Committee. Currently, 36 forest villages across Talappilly, Thrissur, and Chalakudy taluks have been granted individual forest rights. In the first phase, settlements like Thamaravellachal and Olakara (Thrissur taluk), Pothupara and Vettikuzhi (Chalakudy taluk), and Kalappara and Kakkinikkad (Talappilly taluk) are being transitioned into revenue villages. The process for converting the remaining settlements is progressing at a fast pace. Minister's announcement This initiative follows Revenue Minister K. Rajan's announcement on March 22 at a function at Olakara while distributing forest right titles to 44 families. The Minister had declared that the government would issue an order allowing tax payment rights, thereby officially converting eligible settlements into revenue villages. With the issuance of titles to 44 families in Olakara, resolution of land issues of 24 families in Athirappilly panchayat, and the near-completion of rehabilitation processes in settlements like Arekkapp and Veerankudi, the Collector said that Thrissur was on track to become the first district in Kerala to fully resolve long-standing tribal land issues and ensure complete distribution of individual forest rights.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Time of India
Woman power leads peaceful eviction of forest encroachment
Raipur: Frontline women forest and police personnel have led an operation to clear nearly 60.7 hectares of encroached forest land in the Indagaon buffer range of Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR). Joint teams from USTR, Gariaband and Dhamtari forest divisions and Gariaband police carried out the mission as part of ongoing efforts to remove illegal settlements from wildlife protected areas. Preliminary offence reports (POR) were registered in 2021 and 2023 under Wild Life (Protection) Act and Indian Forest Act. Showcause notices were issued to the encroachers in June 2023, asking them to provide proof of possession of the forest land. The encroachers failed to submit any valid proof, and their claims for forest rights were rejected by the Forest Rights Committee. Investigations of the PORs, supported by satellite imagery from ISRO revealed that the encroachments occurred after 2008, as clearly indicated by changes in forest canopy cover. The entire eviction process was peaceful. Local villagers from Pipalkhunta and Kandsar also extended their support. Encroachers were permitted to take their personal belongings. Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve Deputy Director Varun Jain said that over the past three years, the reserve team has removed 750 hectares of encroachments from core and buffer zones, creating inviolate spaces for wildlife. He added that these anti-poaching and anti-encroachment operations have contributed to a reduction in man-animal conflict within the reserve, facilitating coexistence between the 110 villages in the area & its wildlife population. Jain also mentioned that Supreme Court, in the case of TN Godavarman vs Union of India had issued directions to Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary (as it was then known) to remove encroachments from wildlife habitats and strive to reduce human-wildlife conflicts to ensure wildlife protection. Frontline staff present during the operation included rangers Pratibha Meshram and Ramshila Dhruw, forest guards Rinki Joshi, Gunja Dhruw, Tikeshwari Sahu, Manisha Netam, Jankibai, Banita Yadav, Indumati Chauhan, Saraswati Sahu and Bhumika Sahu, along with members of the forest management committee from Pipalkhunta village. Raipur: Frontline women forest and police personnel have led an operation to clear nearly 60.7 hectares of encroached forest land in the Indagaon buffer range of Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR). Joint teams from USTR, Gariaband and Dhamtari forest divisions and Gariaband police carried out the mission as part of ongoing efforts to remove illegal settlements from wildlife protected areas. Preliminary offence reports (POR) were registered in 2021 and 2023 under Wild Life (Protection) Act and Indian Forest Act. Showcause notices were issued to the encroachers in June 2023, asking them to provide proof of possession of the forest land. The encroachers failed to submit any valid proof, and their claims for forest rights were rejected by the Forest Rights Committee. Investigations of the PORs, supported by satellite imagery from ISRO revealed that the encroachments occurred after 2008, as clearly indicated by changes in forest canopy cover. The entire eviction process was peaceful. Local villagers from Pipalkhunta and Kandsar also extended their support. Encroachers were permitted to take their personal belongings. Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve Deputy Director Varun Jain said that over the past three years, the reserve team has removed 750 hectares of encroachments from core and buffer zones, creating inviolate spaces for wildlife. He added that these anti-poaching and anti-encroachment operations have contributed to a reduction in man-animal conflict within the reserve, facilitating coexistence between the 110 villages in the area & its wildlife population. Jain also mentioned that Supreme Court, in the case of TN Godavarman vs Union of India had issued directions to Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary (as it was then known) to remove encroachments from wildlife habitats and strive to reduce human-wildlife conflicts to ensure wildlife protection. Frontline staff present during the operation included rangers Pratibha Meshram and Ramshila Dhruw, forest guards Rinki Joshi, Gunja Dhruw, Tikeshwari Sahu, Manisha Netam, Jankibai, Banita Yadav, Indumati Chauhan, Saraswati Sahu and Bhumika Sahu, along with members of the forest management committee from Pipalkhunta village.
