Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced a survey targeting non-indigenous residents occupying forest land in and around Guwahati, signaling a potential eviction drive. This move is part of a broader effort by the Assam government to combat encroachment on forest and government lands.
Survey and Eviction Plans
The Assam government will conduct a survey of non-indigenous residents on Guwahati forest land to identify those whose families have not lived in the region for at least three generations. According to Sarma, the survey excludes indigenous people, who may receive land rights under the upcoming Mission Basundhara III initiative. The Chief Minister has clarified that the survey is not related to religion but focuses on individuals suspected of settling with the "intent to disrupt the demography" of the area. The survey will be conducted only in forest land, and not revenue land.
Reasons for the Eviction Drive
Sarma has expressed concern over the growing urban population in Guwahati, stating that the city is bearing a heavy load. According to him, Guwahati's population has nearly doubled, and "a little clearing" is needed to ease the strain. The government aims to reduce Guwahati's burden. The crackdown on forest encroachment is part of a broader push by the Assam government to reclaim protected green zones and regulate unchecked urban sprawl around the state's capital.
Government's Stance
The Assam government has stated its commitment to restoring forest and government land. According to Sarma, 1.29 lakh bighas (over 42,500 acres) of land have been cleared of encroachment in the last four years, while approximately 29 lakh bighas (more than 9.5 lakh acres) of land remain encroached in the state. The government claims that many illegal migrants are from West Bengal and Bihar.
Sarma reacted to demands for a separate 'Miya Land' by stating that such aspirations would be fulfilled outside India, suggesting Bangladesh or Afghanistan.
Ongoing Eviction Drives in Assam
The announcement follows a recent eviction drive in Golaghat district's Uriamghat, where the government aimed to clear 11,000 bighas (approximately 3,600 acres) of land in the Rengma Reserve forest. The eviction drive in Uriamghat affected nearly 2,000 families who allegedly encroached on the forest land and turned it into betel nut plantations. According to officials, a large number of these families are from the central Assam districts of Nagaon and Morigaon, while there are families from north and south Assam districts who claimed to have started settling down in the forest areas of Uriamghat in the 1970s. The Assam government has cleared nearly 3,305.78 acres of encroached land in the ongoing eviction drive at Uriamghat in Golaghat district. Prior to this eviction, the state had freed 42,644.57 acres of land from encroachers, bringing the total to 45,950 acres cleared.
High Court Intervention
The Gauhati High Court has directed Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram to form a high-level committee to clear encroachments in forest areas along the inter-state borders of the four northeastern states. The court's direction comes at a time when the BJP-led government in Assam is carrying out a large-scale eviction campaign to remove encroachers from government and forest lands.
Concerns and Opposition
The Niki Sumi faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland has accused the Assam government of planning to grab Naga lands through the eviction drive. Opposition parties have alleged that the eviction drive targeting Muslims is part of BJP's "polarization tactics".
