Assam to evict over 2,000 families from 10,000 bigha in Golaghat’s Rengma reserve forest

The Assam government is set to launch a large-scale eviction drive in the Rengma Reserve Forest at Uriamghat in Golaghat district from Tuesday, impacting over 10,000 bighas (approx. 3,300 acres) and affecting nearly 2,000 families.

The operation, taking place along the sensitive Assam-Nagaland border, follows extensive land surveys across 30 villages in the reserve forest area under Sarupathar sub-division. Officials found that large tracts of forest had been illegally converted into agricultural land.

“The entire area has been divided into nine operational zones, and we’ve already served proper eviction notices to the encroachers through the Forest Department,” a senior district official said. A seven-day deadline was given, prompting many families in Chilanijan, Kherbari, and Dayalpur to begin vacating voluntarily.

Authorities estimate that most encroachers hail from Assam’s Nagaon, Morigaon, Sonitpur, and even districts like Cachar, Dhubri, Barpeta, Hojai, as well as from West Bengal and Bihar, with a significant number belonging to the minority community.

Also Read: Assam: Nagaon’s Hatichong to be cleared off encroachment following eviction plans in Uriamghat

To ensure smooth execution and maintain law and order, a senior Assam Police officer has been deployed to Golaghat, and CRPF forces have been mobilised alongside state security personnel.

The impending operation comes just days after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Uriamghat on July 25. He noted that 70% of the identified encroachers had already vacated voluntarily, and reiterated the government’s commitment to restoring forest and government land.

Meanwhile, the Nagaland government has issued an advisory to bordering districts to remain on high alert and prevent any spillover of displaced families into its territory during the eviction.

According to the CM, Assam has cleared 1.29 lakh bighas (over 42,500 acres) of encroached land in the past four years. However, a staggering 29 lakh bighas (over 9.5 lakh acres) still remain under encroachment across the state — a challenge the government has vowed to confront head-on.