The people of Assam hails the Guwahati High Court’s ruling to conduct eviction drive in Doyang and Nambor reserve forest in Golaghat district of Assam. The high court in its ruling mentioned that no encroachers can claim any rights in forest land and directed the encroachers to vacate the forest land within next seven days.
Lapses in monitoring and implementation of law by government departments and officials can’t be cited as justification for illegally occupying forest land, the Divisional Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Chaudhury mentioned.
The court directed the state government to evict all the illegal settlers if the families sitting in the reserve forests don’t comply with its order by 24th August.
The ruling came after 74 families of encroachers challenged the government notification to vacate forest land in Doyang and Nambor reserve forest in Golaghat district. The bench dismissed the petitions and stated that the petitioners have failed to provide valid documents to establish their rights in the forest areas within the given time. The court has also said that in future if any encroachment happens in forest land, necessary actions should be taken not only against the encroachers but also against the negligent government officials too.
Meanwhile CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “ The Hot Pursuit continues! Our bulldozers reached Rengma Reserve Forest yesterday to pursue Part II of the eviction drive to free forest lands from encroachers.The result? 26 Hectares of Forest Land reclaimed — enough to house 65 football fields!! The action will continue.”
