Encroachers have grabbed 300–400 bighas each: Himanta says Uriamghat eviction drive lawful

Intensifying his government's crackdown on illegal land encroachments, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday declared that the eviction drive in Uriamghat is targeting large-scale, profit-driven occupation of government and forest land. 

He said the individuals involved are not landless but have captured hundreds of bighas each for personal financial gain.

“This entire area—thousands of bighas—has been encroached by a small number of people. These are not poor or landless families. Some individuals have illegally occupied 300 to 400 bighas, which is unjustified,” the Chief Minister said during his visit to Uriamghat in Golaghat district. “Our government allots 2 to 3 bighas to landless families, not hundreds.”

According to Sarma, nearly 70% of the encroachers have already vacated the land voluntarily, and the remaining are expected to do so within the next 2–3 days. Once that is completed, the government plans to repurpose the reclaimed land for legal and sustainable development.

The district administration and forest department have been tasked with restoring the land, including the plantation of high-value trees aimed at reviving the local ecosystem and generating sustainable livelihoods for the surrounding communities.

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“This is not just about eviction. It’s about lawful transformation,” Sarma added. “We aim to use the land for development purposes that benefit society as a whole.”

The Chief Minister also clarified that the ongoing drive is being conducted with legal oversight to avoid future litigation. “We are visiting these sites with legal representatives, and taking action only in areas where our legal claims are strong. Everything is being done in an organised and lawful manner—not emotionally—so that courts don’t impose restrictions later,” he noted.

The Uriamghat eviction is part of a wider land reclamation policy in Assam that targets encroachments on VGR (village grazing reserves), PGR (professional grazing reserves), satra (monastic) land, and forest areas. Sarma confirmed that once the process is completed in Sarupathar LAC, similar action will follow in other parts of Golaghat district.

“We have a long list of planned actions. Many more parts of Assam will witness such steps in the coming days,” the Chief Minister asserted.

The strong remarks and field visit by the Chief Minister underline the Sarma government’s resolve to reclaim public land, discourage large-scale illegal occupation, and ensure that such land is used to support legal development goals aligned with ecological and community welfare.