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The Assam government is set to carry out a large-scale eviction drive at the Dahikata Reserve Forest in Goalpara district on November 9, following an official announcement by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on his social media platforms.
The operation, jointly led by the Forest Department and the District Administration, will target nearly 1,143 bighas of encroached forest land. The CM stated that the eviction will continue over November 9 and 10, as part of the government’s broader initiative to reclaim protected forest areas from illegal occupation.
Following the announcement, several families residing in the area have reportedly begun self-demolishing their homes, fearing imminent eviction. Visuals from the site showed villagers dismantling tin-roofed structures and removing belongings in haste.
“This is inhumane,” said one resident, visibly distressed. “Our future hangs in uncertainty. The government has not made any plan for relocation or rehabilitation. Children will be forced to drop out of school.”
Another elderly man, who claimed to have lived in Dahikata since childhood, said, “We have nowhere else to go. If we had land elsewhere, we wouldn’t be living here.”
Chief Minister’s Statement
In a late-night live session on his official Facebook handle, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the eviction, dismissing speculation that it might be postponed.
“Certain groups are conspiring to halt the eviction drives,” the Chief Minister wrote. “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, located along the southern belt of Goalpara, has seen steady encroachment over the past decade, with several settlements mushrooming inside the forest boundary. Officials say the drive aims to clear the area for ecological restoration and to reinforce protected area boundaries under the Assam Forest Department’s long-term conservation plan.