Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika on Thursday reiterated the state government’s stance against illegal encroachers taking up government lands.

He said that the drive against these illegal encroachers for freeing the government lands will continue.

Speaking to reporters in Nagaon, he said, "We will continue our drive against illegal encroachers. If someone will go against the law, we will not allow anything to happen against the law."

Earlier today, Congress MLA Rupahihat constituency Nurul Huda had tried to stop the eviction drive being carried out at the Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary area.

The eviction drive was started on February 14, by the Sonitpur and Nagaon district administrations against those who had allegedly "illegally occupied" around 1892 hectares of the land of the wildlife sanctuary.

The administration conducted an eviction drive at Kamalagarh Betoni, Longketapu, Sialitapu, Sialichapori, Gabeshtapu, Baghetapu, Pub Lathimari, Pachim Lathimari area inside the wildlife sanctuary on February 14 and 15.

Over 2000 security personnel including paramilitary, home guards, CRPF, and Assam police were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident during the the anti-encroachment drive.

According to the district administration of Sonitpur and Nagaon, a large number of government lands have been illegally occupied by encroachers in the area and the administration had already issued notices to them to vacate the lands one month ago.

Around 11000 we living on the encroached land illegally, but most of them have already left after the eviction notice was given a month ago.

More than 1900 hectares of land around near the Burhachapori wildlife sanctuary has been encroached upon by 2500 houses, mosques, and illegal school buildings, the administration further said.