Patharkandi Evictions: 2,000 Families Lose Homes as Forest Land Restored

Authorities have launched a sweeping eviction drive across the reserved forest areas of the Patharkandi constituency in Sribhumi district. The administration aims to reclaim nearly 12,000 hectares of forest land that had been illegally occupied.

The operation, underway in the Sribhumi Reserved Forest, follows the issuance of eviction notices to over 2,000 families. Senior district and forest officials are personally overseeing the drive, which has received strong support from police and paramilitary forces to ensure safety and law and order.

Many residents have already dismantled their homes and moved to alternative locations. However, the administration has intensified efforts to remove remaining structures, clearing illegal settlements and temporary establishments from the forest areas. Vegetation planted illegally is also being removed as part of the restoration process.

Over 50 heavy machines, including JCBs and excavators, are in use to speed up the operation. In some of the tougher terrain, elephants are assisting forest officials in their work. Personnel from police and forest departments across the state have been mobilised to support the exercise.

The eviction process is taking place across multiple forest blocks in the Patharkandi region, including Madhurban, Narayanpur, Chagalmowa, Madhabpur, Badshahi, and Dohalia reserved forests. Officials emphasised that the drive is aimed at restoring protected forest land and preventing further encroachment, reinforcing the government’s commitment to preserving the region’s ecological balance.

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