Guwahati, 24th July: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a significant achievement in land reclamation, revealing that government efforts over the past three years have led to the clearance of 167 square kilometres of encroached land—an area larger than Chandigarh. Sarma reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating encroachments from every inch of land.
In a recent development, the district administration of Sipajhar resumed its eviction drive targeting families illegally occupying land designated for the Gorukhuti Agricultural Project. Sipajhar Revenue Circle Officer Ritimani Das had previously instructed 620 encroaching families to relocate to Dalgaon via Parhi Dhalpur. However, non-compliance led to a decisive action on July 23, when Officer Das, alongside Additional Deputy Commissioner Gopal Sharma, oversaw an eviction operation involving hundreds of security personnel. Bulldozers demolished the homes of 397 families during the operation.
Following the demolitions, many displaced individuals were seen hurriedly moving their belongings towards a nearby bridge. The Gorukhuti Agricultural Project has been allocated 8,700 bighas of land, with 6,800 bighas cleared of encroachments. Efforts are ongoing to address the remaining occupied areas.
Previously, in September 2021, the administration had evicted 1,418 families from Dhalpur to advance the project, sparking calls from various minority organizations, including the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU), for the rehabilitation of the displaced families.
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