The Assam government has announced immediate measures to restore nearly 400 hectares of damaged forest in the Behali Reserve Forest and strengthen security along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary following reports of large-scale encroachment and destruction. Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah announced the decision after visiting the affected areas on Thursday on the directions of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He was accompanied by senior officials from the Forest Department, Assam Police and the civil administration to assess the extent of the damage and review the existing security arrangements. According to the state government, satellite imagery and drone surveys comparing the condition of the forest over the past six months revealed that around 400 hectares of reserve forest had been encroached upon and extensively damaged. The inspection was carried out following reports that miscreants operating from across the inter-state border were responsible for the destruction.
During the visit, the minister inspected the affected areas, reviewed drone footage and held discussions with frontline forest personnel to understand the challenges they face in protecting the reserve. Mallabaruah directed the Ecological Task Force to begin plantation drives and ecological restoration work immediately in coordination with the Forest Department to regenerate the degraded forest. He said restoring the damaged areas would be a priority while ensuring stronger protection against future encroachments. The minister also ordered the strengthening of forest protection infrastructure. This includes upgrading existing forest camps, improving approach roads to vulnerable locations and constructing an additional access road to ensure quicker movement of forest and security personnel. He noted that poor road connectivity had delayed intervention in some areas, allowing illegal activities to continue for longer periods. To improve surveillance, Mallabaruah instructed the Assam Police and the Forest Battalion to maintain round-the-clock monitoring in vulnerable stretches and establish additional security camps in areas where forest destruction has been reported.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting Assam’s forests, the minister said no further destruction of reserve forest land would be tolerated. He assured forest officials and members of the Forest Battalion that the government would provide full support while they carried out their duties. Responding to concerns raised by frontline staff, Mallabaruah said forest personnel should continue to discharge their responsibilities with confidence despite operational challenges. He added that certain recent public statements had affected the morale of forest officials and members of the Forest Battalion. Speaking on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary issue, the minister said political and administrative mechanisms were already in place to address border disputes. However, he stressed that environmental destruction could not be justified under any circumstances. He also noted that the Gauhati High Court had made it clear that damage to forests could not be defended on the basis of a boundary dispute. Mallabaruah directed officials to initiate legal proceedings wherever unlawful encroachment, trespass or destruction of forest land is found within Assam’s jurisdiction. He said all such violations would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.