Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 24 reviewed the prevailing law and order situation in Dhubri. The minority populous district near the Bangladesh border was unsettled after Eid when cattle heads were found near a Hanuman temple on and June 8 and 9. CM Sarma said, “Our zero-tolerance approach, along with apprehending 150 anti-social elements, is working, but we are not lowering our guard against communal forces. We are also exploring the option to set up a permanent base of the Indian Army to strengthen the security apparatus in this sensitive district.”
The CM also visited the Hasila Beel in Goalpara district and took stock of reclaimed areas of the Beel. The Chief Minister inspected the eco-sensitive Hasila Beel following a recent eviction drive carried out by the district administration. He said, “The Assam government has regained control over 6 sq km of land by freeing the Hasila Bill area from 7,000 encroachers. Now public welfare work will be started in this area. The government will take back every illegal land in the state.”
Highlighting the ecological significance of Hasila Beel, the Chief Minister stated that the government is preparing a master plan to develop parts of the wetland into an eco-tourism destination while preserving the surrounding areas as a Proposed Reserve Forest. He further said the government is giving serious consideration to the restoration of Urpad Beel, Kumri Beel and Hasila Beel in Goalpara district, in view of their ecological value.
The Chief Minister noted that the reclaimed land would be conserved as a vital ecological asset of the state. Referring to the Cabinet approval on June 22, the Chief Minister said that the State Cabinet has approved the proposal to notify the Hasila Beel area as a Proposed Reserve Forest (PRF) under Section 5 of the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891. He said that this biodiversity-rich wetland, which supports rich flora and fauna, plays a vital role in flood regulation, nutrient cycling, and maintaining hydrological balance. He also said that the Cabinet’s decision to conserve the Beel would sustain local communities through fisheries while protecting the aquatic ecosystem.
The Chief Minister also interacted with families evicted from the area and assured them that rehabilitation measures would be taken in accordance with government provisions.
It may be noted that the State government undertook an eviction drive in the encroached land of Hasila Beel and reclaimed 495 acres of government-notified wetlands from illegal encroachment. Chief Minister Sarma today visited the Beel following the eviction drive. Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota, Special Chief Secretary MK Yadava, and other senior officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit to the Beel.
