GUWAHATI: The Assam government started an eviction drive against illegal encroachers at the Lumding Reserve Forest in Hojai district on Monday, November 8. Over 500 families have encroached upon over 1.10 hectares of land under the Lumding Reserve Forest.
The State government along with the Assam Forest Department and Hojai District Administration conducted the eviction drive against the encroachers. The eviction has been done in a phased manner, with the first phase occurring on November 8 and 9, which spanned an area of 500 hectares.
Elephants, excavators, and tractors were deployed to break the establishments and cut the fruit trees planted by the encroachers. "If we don't cut the trees, they will come back again and settle," a forest official told local media.
In the action plan prepared by the State authority, the first phase of the eviction, lasting for 5 days, will be undertaken from October 2021 to November 2021; and the second phase, which will last for 4 days, will be undertaken during November 2021 to December 2021; and the third phase, lasting for 5 days, will be conducted during January 2022 to February 2022.
The Lumding Reserve Forest of Assam is spread over 22,403 hectares of land, out of which 1,410 hectares are currently under encroachment.
