Goalpara: 140 Hectares in Paikan Reserve Forest Set for Eviction

A massive eviction drive is set to unfold in Assam’s Goalpara district as forest and district authorities gear up to reclaim over 140 hectares of illegally occupied land inside the Paikan Reserve Forest. The eviction is scheduled to begin on July 11, with a deadline of July 10 given to encroachers to voluntarily vacate the forest land.

The looming operation targets two heavily encroached areas — Bidyapara and Betbari — under the Krishnai range of the reserve forest, where numerous families have reportedly been living unlawfully for years.

Over the past few days, joint teams of the Forest Department and Assam Police have intensified patrolling in the area, issuing public warnings via loudspeakers and appealing to occupants to vacate the premises peacefully before the final deadline. The countdown has officially begun.

“A total of 140 hectares of land will be cleared in this phase of the eviction. We’ve already issued notices and informed residents through public announcements to leave on their own by July 10. The eviction operation will begin immediately after that,” said the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Goalpara, in an official statement.

The Paikan Reserve Forest covers a total area of 711 hectares, out of which 140 hectares have been encroached upon over the years. According to forest officials, this patch of land is part of a critical ecosystem, and unauthorized settlements have severely impacted its ecological integrity.

Sources confirm that a large contingent of forest personnel, including the Forest Battalion, range officers, and field staff, will be deployed for the drive. They will be assisted by the district administration and police forces to ensure that the eviction proceeds without resistance or violence.

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