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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bulldozers & cops reach Uriamghat as govt looks to clear reserve forest land
1 2 Guwahati: Assam's next major eviction operation slated in Uriamghat, situated along the Assam-Nagaland border, is poised to stir up the tranquillity of the region this week as bulldozers have begun entering the region. Authorities said vast forest expanses have been degraded by encroachers over the years, potentially breaching further into upper Assam districts. More than 80 to 90% of encroachers, a significant number of whom identify as 'Miya Muslims' (a term referring to migrant Muslims of Bangladesh/East Pakistan origin), have vacated their homes in Uriamghat's Rengma Reserve Forest, from where over 10,000 people will be evicted. Security was intensified in the region on Sunday, with numerous police and security personnel deployed and bulldozers placed in school fields. Only a handful of families remain, camping close to the occupied lands until the demolition of their houses is executed. Sarupathar MLA Biswajit Phukan said the large-scale eviction could commence as early as Tuesday. "29th July, 2025 will be an important and historic day for Sarupathar," Phukan wrote on social media, thanking CM Sarma and highlighting the urgency of the situation. As opposition parties contemplate criticising the govt for the scale of the forthcoming operation, Assam information and public relations minister Pijush Hazarika on Sunday criticised opposition leaders, including Assam PCC president Gaurav Gogoi, alleging that they have supported encroachers and doubtful citizens. "They hobnob with encroachers and doubtful citizens. Our govt has acted against those people who have unjustly grabbed lands. Govt has not touched lands which have pattas (land deeds)," Hazarika said. He maintained that the decision on whether encroachers are Indian citizens or foreigners lies with the courts, but underlined that the govt would not tolerate encroachment of govt land. "Those who back the encroachers are not satisfied at doubtful citizens taking over lower and central Assam. People like Gaurav Gogoi will find peace only when upper Assam is also encroached upon," Hazarika said, adding that govt would not provide compensation or land to. According to govt data, out of the total 13,921 hectares of forest reserve at Rengma in Golaghat district, 10,958 hectares have been encroached. Families living there said they settlement in the area five decades ago from various central Assam districts and later from the Barak Valley region, with a few coming from Bihar.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
After Dhubri & Goalpara, now migrant Muslims to face eviction at Uriamghat
Guwahati: Numerous families relocated to Uriamghat, a remote inter-state border area between Assam and Nagaland, from Juria in Nagaon district fifty years ago and established farms in and around the Rengma reserve forest area. Generations lived on these occupied lands, hoping for official recognition through govt land documents. Many, like Hanif Ali, introduce themselves as 'Miya Muslims' — a term denoting Muslims from Bangladesh/East Pakistan origin. They lived here for years. Uriamghat became a hub for betel nut production. State govt contends these settlers destroyed forest areas despite owning property in Nagaon and Morigaon districts, approximately 200 km away. Now Uriamghat is set to witness one of the biggest eviction drives in the state, after such action in Dhubri and Goalpara. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma recently said reclaiming Uriamghat will be instrumental in checking illegal infiltration towards upper Assam, which still remain under control of indigenous communities. While CM Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted political motives behind such encroachments, affected families cite land scarcity due to population growth in their ancestral homes as the primary reason for relocation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo "Our father left our Juria home and settled in Uriamghat in 1974 after he sold off his share of the ancestral plot. Now we cannot live there. So we have packed our luggage without deciding on our next destination," said Hanif Ali. Ali explained that some of the initial settlers in Uriamghat came for mustard cultivation on Naga-claimed lands near the Doyang river. Relations with Nagas deteriorated over land disputes when Muslim settlers established themselves on the other side of the river. Despite hostilities they remained there in Uriamghat. The Rengma reserve forest includes Muslim-majority villages like Dayalpur, Pithaghat, Dolonipathar, Madhupur, Kherbari, and Bidyapur, housing around 15,000 Muslims, apart from Nepali, Adivasi, and Bodo communities. Abdul Karim (47) a teacher from Bidyapur village, who got an eviction notice on Tuesday, alleged that only Muslim 'inter-district migrants' received notices. "Some came in the 1970s, but some came three to four years ago as seasonal labourers to work in stone quarries. But the administration should have served notices to all communities if they really want to restore the forest." Karim's family, originally from Bhanga Bazar area in Cachar, 360 km away in south Assam, arrived in 1977 at the advice of his uncle who worked near Uriamghat as a road construction labour supervisor. "When we came here in 1977, the focus was to protect Assam lands from Nagas by settling farmers in the inter-state borders which were yet to be clearly demarcated by the two states. Till today we are engaged in paddy cultivation," said Karim, a teacher who got an eviction notice on Tuesday. Given seven days to vacate, Karim shares Hanif's concerns about reclaiming ancestral property. "After so many years, will our relatives give us space? There is no space at all in our ancestral village at Bhanga Bazar area," he said, requesting govt rehabilitation.
