Assam: Fresh notices served to 59 families in Golaghat's Negeribil as state prepares for major eviction drive

The Assam Forest Department has stepped up its crackdown on alleged illegal encroachments in Assam's Golaghat district, issuing fresh eviction notices to 59 families at No. 2 Negeribil in Merapani, days after securing a favourable order from the Supreme Court of India. 

The notices, served on February 21 by the Golaghat Forest Division and signed by the Divisional Forest Officer, direct the families to vacate the land within seven days. The operation was carried out jointly by the Forest Department, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and district police authorities.

The development follows a series of eviction drives conducted earlier at Uriamghat in Sarupathar and at No. 2 Negeribil under Merapani in Golaghat district, targeting what the department has described as illegal encroachments on forest land.

The dispute dates back to August 8, 2025, when the Forest Department first issued eviction notices to 205 families residing at No. 2 Negeribil. Subsequently, 59 families from Negeribil and 11 families from Uriamghat approached the Gauhati High Court seeking a stay on the eviction proceedings.

The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which on February 10 ruled in favour of the Assam Forest Department, effectively clearing the legal hurdle that had delayed the eviction process.

Officials said that while many residents declined to accept or sign the fresh notices, authorities pasted copies on their houses to ensure compliance with due procedure. Some occupants, however, accepted the documents.

Sources in the department indicated that if none of the notified families files a fresh appeal within seven days, eviction operations are likely to commence shortly at the identified locations.