Assam govt to reclaim 1143 bighas in Dahikata Reserve Forest

Guwahati: The Assam Government is preparing to reclaim 1143 bighas of encroached land in the Dahikata Reserve Forest area of Goalpara district in what officials are calling one of the state’s largest eviction drives to date.

Scheduled for November 9 and 10, the operation will target long-standing illegal settlements on government forest land.

Authorities have already served notices to all occupants and coordinated closely with the police and forest departments to ensure the eviction proceeds smoothly and peacefully.

District officials said the Dahikata drive follows the government’s massive eviction at Hasila Beel in June 2025, where they cleared approximately 1,500 bighas of encroached land.

That earlier operation involved 667 illegal households and unauthorized structures, including five schools. Despite advance public notices, banners, and loudspeaker announcements urging residents to vacate by June 15, many structures, such as homes, shops, and private water pipelines, remained until authorities demolished them.

Officials emphasized that the Dahikata operation is part of Assam’s broader campaign to protect forest areas and restore public land, reflecting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s commitment to zero tolerance toward land encroachment across the state.