Guwahati, Assam: In a significant stride towards environmental restoration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to revitalising three vital waterbodies, or ‘beels’, in Goalpara district. His announcement followed a review of the situation at Hasila beel, where a recent eviction drive had cleared large swathes of encroached land. The Chief Minister emphasised that these initiatives are geared towards restoring the delicate ecological balance and rectifying past damage inflicted by widespread encroachment.
Addressing reporters, Sarma revealed the state Cabinet’s decision to officially notify Hasila beel and Urpod beel as Proposed Reserve Forests (PRF), with similar action planned for Kumri beel. He stated that public opinion would be sought over the next three months before formally declaring them as PRFs. The Chief Minister also instructed the tourism department to draft a comprehensive master plan for developing tourism prospects around these ecologically crucial areas. While acknowledging the need for public cooperation, Sarma affirmed that other encroached beels in the district would also be cleared.
Shedding light on the approach to be adopted, Sarma clarified that those who had encroached upon the waterbodies would be ‘requested to leave’, while the government would purchase land from legal settlers possessing proper ownership documents. He attributed the fresh wave of encroachment to certain politicians who had allegedly ‘invited’ people to settle in these sensitive zones, a claim he believes can be substantiated through satellite imagery. Sarma stressed that the primary objective is to protect the beels, not to target individuals, and that efforts would be made to facilitate the return of encroachers to their original places. He also acknowledged that some long-standing issues, like the massive encroachment on Rakhyasini hill (already a PRF), require careful consideration, with ongoing discussions expected to yield a resolution within 30-45 days.
The Chief Minister asserted that some issues necessitated eviction, while others could be resolved through negotiations, assuring accessibility for those who wished to engage in dialogue. He reiterated that the government’s overarching goal is to reinstate Goalpara’s ecological equilibrium, framing the recent eviction drive as a pivotal component of a larger conservation mission. Sarma expressed optimism that with public support, the district’s environmental landscape would undergo a transformative change. The state Cabinet had on Sunday approved the proposals to notify Urpad Beel (1,256 Ha) and Hasila Beel (245 Ha) as PRFs, underscoring the commitment to maintaining both social and natural harmony. Last week, approximately 45 per cent of the 1,555 bigha area of Hasila Beel village, where families had illegally settled, was cleared, with the remaining area comprising the actual waterbody.
Read More: Agarwal Takes the Reins: Mizoram Welcomes New Top Cop