Assam: Administration demolishes unauthorized resort, illegal structures in reserve forest land in Sonapur

In a major crackdown against encroachments on protected forest lands, the forest department in collaboration with the Dimoria Sub-Divisional Administration launched a demolition drive on Saturday morning, targeting an illegally constructed resort built inside a reserve forest area in Sonapur.

The action took place in Marakdola Reserve Forest, located under Kamarkuchi in the Dimoria Subdivision of Assam. Acting on confirmed reports of illegal activities, a joint team of forest officials and administrative authorities arrived at the site and began dismantling structures using bulldozers and heavy machinery.

The resort, sprawling across nearly one hectare of reserved land, was allegedly developed by a person named Arup Kumar Das, who is accused of illegally clearing valuable forest trees and leveling parts of a hill to make way for construction. According to officials, Das had been carrying out the construction work discreetly for almost a year, violating forest conservation laws and land use regulations.

“This was a blatant encroachment on reserve forest land,” an official from the Forest Department said. “Not only were trees felled, but the topography of the hill was also altered. Such acts pose serious threats to biodiversity and natural ecosystems.”.

Local environmental activists have applauded the move, calling it a much-needed step toward enforcing forest protection laws and holding encroachers accountable.

Officials stated that legal proceedings would be initiated against those responsible for the illegal construction and deforestation. Further investigations are underway to determine whether others were involved in the activity or if similar violations exist in nearby forest zones.