Assam to Intensify Forest Eviction Drives After Supreme Court Clearance

After receiving a green signal from the Supreme Court, the Assam government plans to step up eviction drives to clear encroachments from at least five lakh bighas of forest land. A joint Forest and Revenue Department committee will issue 15-day notices before carrying out evictions.

So far, about 1.5 lakh bighas of encroached land, mostly forest areas, have been cleared. With legal hurdles eased, the government expects faster action despite challenges like utilities and land claims.

Plantation work has begun in several cleared areas, with larger drives planned during the monsoon.