Grazing land re-encroached in Assam's Jogighopa, 533 bighas turn into new settlement overnight

A massive 533-bigha stretch of government grazing land in Jogighopa’s Pachania area has once again come under illegal occupation, months after the Bongaigaon district administration cleared the area through a peaceful eviction drive.

The grazing land was vacated earlier this year after then-Deputy Commissioner Nabadeep Pathak set July 29 as the final deadline for encroachers to leave. The strict notice prompted many families to voluntarily dismantle their makeshift homes, enabling the administration to complete the eviction without using bulldozers or police force.

However, local residents now claim that the situation has quietly reversed. According to sources, people began returning to the site gradually—first one structure, then a few more—until a full-fledged settlement re-emerged within a short span of time. Today, the entire 533-bigha expanse resembles a newly built village.

Residents of the surrounding areas have expressed frustration, alleging that the administration failed to maintain surveillance after the eviction. They have particularly pointed to the “inactive role” of Srijangram Revenue Circle Officer Jayanta Chakraborty, claiming that the lack of monitoring allowed encroachers to reoccupy the land with ease.

The incident has reignited debate surrounding eviction operations in Assam—an issue that frequently sparks public outcry, emotional scenes, and political controversy. While eviction drives are often criticised as harsh or insensitive, the Jogighopa case highlights a recurring challenge for the state: land cleared without conflict is vulnerable to quiet and rapid re-encroachment if not consistently monitored.

The cycle of eviction followed by fresh encroachment, officials say, underscores why the government sometimes resorts to large police deployments and bulldozers. Without strict follow-up, they argue, the purpose of reclaiming government land—especially land earmarked for public use, such as grazing areas—becomes ineffective.

Earlier this year, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that more than 25,000 acres of government land across Assam have been cleared of encroachment in the last four years. Yet the situation in Jogighopa raises a pressing question: How much of this reclaimed land remains truly free of encroachment?

The administration has not yet issued a fresh statement regarding the new settlement in Pachania, but the incident has once again brought to the forefront the need for continuous monitoring and long-term strategy to protect Assam’s public land.