In a significant eviction operation in Assam’s Barak Valley, authorities commenced a drive on February 2, targeting 522 families for removal from the Gharmura Inner Line Reserved Forest in Hailakandi district. The operation, initiated around 7 am in the Damchhera area, is a collaborative effort between the district administration and the Forest Department and is expected to span until February 4. Its primary goal is to reclaim protected forest land and prevent further encroachments.
To facilitate this large-scale eviction, 35 JCB machines have been deployed, along with enhanced security measures featuring over 1,500 personnel and nearly 200 Forest Department officials. The eviction zone has been organized into seven sectors, with actions taken in Sectors 5, 6, and 7 on the first day. Phased evictions will continue across the remaining sectors in the subsequent days, as confirmed by Hailakandi Divisional Forest Officer Akhil Dutta.
Notably, eviction notices were issued to the impacted residents two months prior, resulting in many families voluntarily vacating the land, which enabled a smoother initiation of the drive with limited resistance. The administration emphasizes that the eviction is essential for protecting forest land, restoring ecological balance, and ensuring the exclusion of illegal occupations in reserved forest areas.