A CORRESPONDENT
NAGAON: The district administration and the Forest Department conducted an eviction drive in the Barpani reserve forest under the Kampur Forest Range in Nagaon district on Saturday.
A total of 336 families, who had allegedly been living illegally on 216 hectares of forest land for years, were asked to vacate the area. The Forest Department had issued notices and made announcements through loudspeakers in August, directing the occupants to clear the encroached land.
Following the notices, many encroachers dismantled their houses, collected their essential belongings, and left the area voluntarily. However, several families continued to occupy the forest land despite receiving the eviction notices.
Consequently, the Forest Department and the administration launched the eviction operation early in the morning, deploying a substantial number of police personnel and paramilitary forces to maintain law and order. Several JCB excavators were used to demolish the houses of the remaining encroachers.
Meanwhile, the Forest Department has announced that another eviction drive will be conducted in the Lutumari reserve forest on October 18. According to departmental sources, about 600 families have occupied 314 hectares of land in the reserve forest and will be evicted during the operation.
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