Guwahati: A growing wave of public concern over the steady degradation of Assam’s Mahamaya forest belt culminated this month in a citizens’ convention that demanded the immediate removal of encroachments and stronger legal protection for the ecologically sensitive landscape.
Located on the boundary of Dhubri district, the Mahamaya Reserve Forest is famous for its rich biodiversity comprising various natural products, valuable trees and medicinal plants. It also provides shelter to rare species of wild animals.
The meeting, organised under the banner of a forest protection committee, brought together environmental activists, social workers and local residents alarmed by what they described as unchecked human intrusion into the Mahamaya forest area of Dhubri district. Speakers warned that continued encroachment, illegal settlements and unregulated resource extraction were pushing the forest towards irreversible damage.
Addressing the gathering, senior members of the organising committee underlined that Mahamaya forest is not merely a patch of woodland but a critical ecological buffer supporting biodiversity, groundwater recharge and local climate stability. They said large sections of the forest have already been lost due to land grabbing and gradual conversion for human use, despite repeated appeals to the authorities.
“The destruction of Mahamaya forest is not an isolated issue. It reflects a larger failure to safeguard Assam’s remaining green cover,” a speaker said, calling for the forest to be declared completely encroachment-free and brought under stricter conservation norms.
Participants stressed that forest land cannot be treated as surplus land for settlement and warned that political silence on the issue would have long-term consequences.
The convention also highlighted the impact of forest loss on wildlife movement, noting that shrinking habitats are increasing the risk of human–animal conflict in nearby areas. Environmentalists cautioned that continued degradation could disrupt local ecosystems and threaten livelihoods dependent on forest-linked resources.
Resolutions adopted at the meeting urged the Assam government and the forest department to conduct a comprehensive survey of encroached areas, initiate eviction drives in accordance with law, and ensure permanent protection of the Mahamaya forest. The gathering further demanded accountability from officials responsible for monitoring forest boundaries and preventing illegal occupation.
Participants made it clear that the movement would not end with a single meeting. Organisers announced plans to submit memorandums to the district administration and launch sustained public awareness campaigns to keep pressure on the authorities.
As Assam grapples with rapid land-use change and environmental stress, the voices rising from Bilasipara signal a renewed push from civil society to defend what remains of the state’s natural heritage. For many at the convention, saving Mahamaya forest is no longer just an environmental cause ,it is a test of governance and collective responsibility.
The reserve forest covering 9,798 hectares of land is the habitat of tigers, deer, wild cows, jackals, storks, white-backed vultures, different species of snakes and other rare wildlife.
But of late, the wild animals have been facing impending danger due to the unabated destruction of the forest. Many areas of the forest have turned into human habitations, while many areas have turned barren because of large-scale felling of trees.
Because of these activities, the ecological balance of the forest has been jeopardised, opined intellectuals and nature lovers.