Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to reclaim every inch of encroached land in the state.
The statement comes a day before a major eviction operation is set to unfold in Uriamghat, a sensitive area near the Assam-Nagaland border in Upper Assam’s Golaghat district.
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In a powerful message to the public, CM Sarma declared, “We are carrying out anti-encroachment drives to benefit the indigenous people of Assam, and they stand firmly behind us in this mission.”
The amount of land freed is just the tip of the iceberg. We will free every inch of our land. Listen to what they have to say.”
Security forces and bulldozers have begun arriving at the outskirts of the Rengma Reserve Forest in Uriamghat, as authorities prepare to launch what they expect will be one of the largest eviction drives in the region this year. Officials have already served notices and completed final preparations for the drive, which is set to begin on Tuesday, July 29.
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The forest department estimates that more than 10,000 people have encroached on forest land, with some living there for over five years.
Locals had set up makeshift villages like “Kudratpur Ujjal Nagar,” cultivating betel nut and constructing religious structures without legal land titles. Officials confirmed that 80–90% of the occupants have already vacated the area voluntarily.
The eviction drive will reclaim nearly 11,000 hectares of land within the Rengma Reserve Forest, which forms part of the 13,921-hectare protected area spanning the sensitive inter-state boundary.
Forest officials revealed that approximately 300–400 hectares are currently under direct occupation.
In recent weeks, Golaghat district authorities have conducted detailed surveys and affirmed that they will carry out the eviction in accordance with the Assam Forest Regulation Act and other legal frameworks. CM Sarma has reiterated that officials will not take action against anyone holding valid land documents (pattas), and they are conducting all eviction drives “within the purview of law.”
The Uriamghat operation follows a series of high-profile anti-encroachment actions across Assam. On July 12, authorities cleared more than 140 hectares of forest land in Goalpara’s Paikan Reserve Forest, displacing nearly 1,080 families and demolishing over 2,500 structures. The government maintains that these lands were illegally occupied by non-indigenous settlers.
To date, the Sarma government has reportedly cleared 25,000 acres of encroached land. However, CM Sarma stated that nearly 10 lakh acres remain under illegal occupation, much of it allegedly by “suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh” or “doubtful citizens.”
The upcoming eviction has triggered security alerts in neighboring Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Manipur. All three states have increased surveillance at interstate borders to prevent the possible influx of displaced people from Assam. Nagaland has fortified key entry points in Wokha and Dimapur, while Meghalaya Police have intensified patrols in border areas near West Karbi Anglong.
Civil society groups in Nagaland have expressed concern over a repeat of past situations where evicted families allegedly crossed over and settled in border regions, triggering fresh disputes. However, Assam Police sources said they are coordinating closely with their counterparts in neighboring states to maintain law and order.
While CM Sarma insists that the drives are for the benefit of indigenous communities, opposition leaders and rights activists have condemned the operations, accusing the BJP-led government of targeting Muslim minorities, particularly Bengali-speaking residents often labelled as “Miya Muslims.”
A recent report linked the intensified evictions to upcoming electoral strategies, suggesting that the ruling party is seeking to consolidate its support base among Assamese-speaking and tribal populations. Human rights watchdogs have questioned the humanitarian cost of the evictions, especially in the absence of proper rehabilitation measures.
Sarma, however, remains firm in his stance, claiming that the majority of Assam’s indigenous population supports the move. “These lands belong to our people,” he said during a press briefing. He also hinted at invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against land brokers and encroachment rackets operating in tribal belts.
As bulldozers line up along Uriamghat’s forest edges and security forces stand alert, the state braces for another major step in its sweeping campaign to reclaim land. Whether seen as an act of justice or a move fraught with controversy, tomorrow’s eviction operation will be closely watched across the Northeast and beyond.