Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed Lakhimpur administration to evict about 500 households from roughly 5 sqkm of land in the Pabha Reserve forest on Tuesday. The reserve forest included 46 square kilometres, or roughly 15 kilometres to the south of the NH-15.
The administration claims that 507 Muslim families have been residing illegitimately in the forest area.
The families submitted a petition to the district authorities, according to a representative of the Lakhimpur forest division, asking for land rights in the forest region under the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
“We had challenged the petition as they do not belong to any tribal community. In September, the district authority finally rejected their petition and allowed us to initiate steps to free the forest land,” the officer added.
The forest official added that most of the house owners live in different places. “They have either given their houses on rent or hired caretakers for them,” the officer said.
In September of last year, the families received notices, the source noted.
According to Bedanta Madhab Rajkhowa, the superintendent of police in Lakhimpur, 600 members of the state police and the CRPF have been deployed for the exercise, and on Sunday, the forces held a simulated drill.
“We are prepared to conduct the eviction drive in a smooth and peaceful manner as far as possible,” he added.