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A large-scale eviction operation began at 7 a.m. today in the Dahikata Reserve Forest in Goalpara district, with the full machinery of the district administration mobilised. The drive, targeting nearly 1,143 bighas of encroached forest land, follows an official announcement by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who reiterated that the operation will continue over November 9 and 10.
Over 20 excavators have been deployed, while more than 900 personnel—including police, paramilitary forces, forest guards, and commandos—are overseeing the operation. Authorities aim to evict over 700 families residing illegally within the forest, marking one of the most significant forest reclamation drives in Assam in recent years.
Reports from the site indicate that several families have begun self-demolishing their homes in anticipation of the eviction. Visuals show villagers dismantling tin-roofed structures and hastily removing belongings.
Residents expressed fear and distress. “This is inhumane,” said one family member. “Our future hangs in uncertainty. The government has not planned for relocation or rehabilitation. Children may be forced to drop out of school.” An elderly resident, who claimed to have lived in Dahikata since childhood, added, “We have nowhere else to go. If land were available elsewhere, we wouldn’t be living here.”
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Sarma, in a late-night live session on his official Facebook page, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the eviction, dismissing speculation of a postponement. “Certain groups are conspiring to halt the eviction drives,” he said. “They had once plotted to turn Assam into another Nepal. But we will not let Assam become Nepal, and the eviction will not stop.”
The Dahikata Reserve Forest, along Goalpara’s southern belt, has experienced steady encroachment over the past decade. Authorities say the drive aims to restore ecological balance and reinforce protected forest boundaries under the Assam Forest Department’s long-term conservation plan.