Encroachers of forest land in Assam will have to face criminal actions from now onwards, the Guwahati High Court said while passing a judgment on eviction drives. The Guwahati High Court delivered a landmark judgment on August 18, which will give a new dimension to the ongoing eviction drives against forest and government land encroachment.
A Divisional Bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Chaudhury also directed the state government to fence the forest areas and reserve forests and set up boundaries so that no one can again encroach it. The high court also directed the state government to install check gates to prevent anyone from entering the forest reserve without legal permission. The high court also directed the government to take strict action against any government officials found negligent, allowing encroachment in the forest land, or helping illegal settlers get inside forest reserves.
Along with this, the high court also directed the state government to give notice of the eviction at least 15 days prior to reply and another 15 days to vacate the locations. The state government has started eviction in Uriamghat Rengma forest from August 18. The second phase of eviction is aimed at clearing 2500 bighas of forest land encroached by Miya Muslims. The drive will wipe out over a hundred illegal structures constructed by 65 families.
However, people said that the landmark judgment by the Guwahati High Court will pave the way for all the hindrances in the road of conducting massive eviction drives in the forest land and reserve forests encroached by Bangladeshi-origin Muslims in Assam. The ruling of the high court is being hailed as a watershed moment in protecting and safeguarding the forestland of Assam and its environment. Similarly, it has sent a stern warning to the section who are always in the intention to occupy forest land. It has also fixed the accountability of the government officials and compelled them to secure the forest land without fail.
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