Drone Survey Begins in Uriamghat as Eviction Drive Looms

Following Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s stern announcement that illegal settlers in Assam’s Uriamghat area along the Assam-Nagaland border will be evicted, the local administration and forest department have swung into action.

A high-level joint team comprising officials from the administration, forest department, and CRPF has initiated a detailed land survey in the border area using drone technology. The survey is currently underway and is expected to continue with greater intensity in the coming days.

Speaking to the media, a local resident of Uriamghat said, “We have been living in Uriamghat since the 1990s. The native communities here were traditionally Ahoms, Bodos, Nepalis, and Adivasis. However, in recent times, many outsiders who are not originally from this region, especially people from Dimapur and Nagaon, have settled here and taken over local land.

This growing influx is not only affecting the geography and environment of the area but is also threatening our mother tongue and cultural identity. If this trend continues, the indigenous character of Uriamghat will be severely impacted.

We are thankful to the Chief Minister of Assam for taking the initiative to address this issue. We believe the government, along with the forest department, should first carry out a proper survey and then initiate the eviction process.

Most of the outsiders who settled here do not even understand the Assamese language, which further isolates them from the local culture. We had earlier requested the Chief Minister to look into this matter, and we are glad that he has shown interest.

Large numbers of unidentified intruders from areas such as Nagaon, Dhing, Rupahi, and Dimapur have reportedly encroached upon forest land along the Assam-Nagaland border. They have cleared vast stretches of forest to set up illegal settlements, posing a serious threat to both the ecological balance and public safety.

We hope that those who have illegally occupied forest land will be evicted soon so that the region can return to its original state.”

Over 3,000 hectares of forest land in Uriamghat are currently under illegal occupation, according to preliminary estimates. Critical areas such as Sonari Beel, Pithaghat, Kherbari, Dayalpur, and Bidyapur have witnessed a significant spike in encroachments, with officials noting an increase of nearly 50% compared to previous records.

With the Chief Minister's directive in place, authorities are now on high alert. A large-scale eviction operation could be launched at any moment to reclaim forest land and restore law and order in the sensitive border region.

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