Assam: Gauhati High Court halts Baghmari eviction

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has halted the Baghmari eviction drive due for September 7.

Some residents with eviction notices, had moved court seeking relief.

Based on their petition, the court instructed the Biswanath district administration to submit a detailed report by September 8.

The report demands information on whether the disputed land falls under Village Grazing Reserve (VGR).

The eviction has been suspended till the report is filed and reviewed.

The eviction was part of an ongoing drive by the district administration to remove encroachments on government and reserve lands.

But as per the petitioners they were in possession of the land for decades.

They also took recourse to legal protection against eviction.

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Grazing Reserves (VGR) are meant for community livestock grazing.

Any encroachments are banned.

The district administration had issued eviction notices to 433 families who had allegedly grabbed nearly 265 bighas of VGR land in Baghmari.

They were given 15 days to vacate the land.