Guwahati: Eviction drives were carried out across parts of Hojai, Nagaon and Golaghat districts on Friday, with authorities demolishing hundreds of structures on land allegedly encroached upon, including areas within reserve forests.
The operations covered the No. 2 Negheribil area along the Merapani border, parts of the Doyang and Nambor South reserve forests in Golaghat, Borpani and Lutimari in Nagaon, and the Jamuna-Maudanga Reserve Forest in Hojai. The drives were conducted by the district administrations, Forest Department and police.
In Golaghat, the second phase of the eviction drive at Negheribil was completed with the demolition of houses belonging to the remaining 59 families. In Hojai, authorities demolished 152 households and cleared around 525 bighas of land. Meanwhile, the operations in Nagaon left affected residents facing uncertainty over shelter and rehabilitation.
At No. 2 Negheribil, the operation began early on Friday, with personnel from the district administration, Forest Department, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed at the site.
The first phase of the eviction drive, conducted in July 2025, covered nearly 50 acres, when houses belonging to 146 of the 205 families identified in the area were demolished. The remaining 59 families had approached the court and secured temporary relief. The drive resumed after a subsequent court ruling in favour of the government.
Demolitions were also carried out in Gelajan and Rajapukhuri in the Sarupathar area, alongside operations in the Doyang and Nambor South reserve forests.
Golaghat Divisional Forest Officer Mukut Ch. Das said most families had already vacated the affected areas before the operation. He said the department would continue patrolling to prevent people from returning and rebuilding houses on the land.
Das said around 35 hectares of the Doyang Reserve Forest would be cleared.
Golaghat Deputy Commissioner Biswajit Phukan said eviction operations were conducted in three areas. Around 60 houses were identified in the Doyang Reserve Forest, 12 in Nambor South and approximately 60 across three villages in Negheribil.
In Gelajan and Rajapukhuri, three and nine houses, respectively, were demolished, taking the total number of houses demolished in the areas cited by the deputy commissioner to 72.
The operations were jointly conducted by the Forest Department, district administration and police, Phukan said.
In Nagaon, eviction drives in Borpani, including areas within the Borpani Reserve Forest, left affected residents facing uncertainty over shelter and rehabilitation.
The Forest Department had earlier issued notices to 336 families occupying 216 hectares of land in the area. Several residents said they had lived there for years and alleged that they were not given sufficient time to remove their belongings before the demolitions.
One resident claimed the family had purchased the land and possessed documents to support its claim. The resident said additional time would have allowed them to salvage materials and build temporary shelters.
Another resident said the family had been living on government land since 2001 and cultivating paddy on two bighas. The resident claimed the settlement had grown from around 400 houses to more than 1,000 over the years.
A resident from another affected area said families had received notices and approached the Gauhati High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court, but were still facing eviction. These claims could not be independently verified.
In Hojai, the second phase of the eviction drive in the Jamuna-Maudanga Reserve Forest resulted in the demolition of 152 households and the clearance of approximately 525 bighas of land. The affected population was estimated at around 1,000.
According to Nayanjyoti Rajbongshi, Divisional Forest Officer of the South Nagaon Forest Division, the first phase, conducted on January 2, covered around 700 hectares and affected 1,100 families, comprising nearly 8,000 people.
Rajbongshi said the remaining families had approached the Supreme Court, which directed the formation of a district-level enforcement and removal committee. Notices were issued, claims were examined, and joint verification was conducted wherever required before the latest operation.
Security arrangements were strengthened for the Hojai drive, with nearly 600 police personnel deployed and divided into five zones to facilitate simultaneous operations.
Hojai Senior Superintendent of Police Nirupam Hazarika said the drive was progressing smoothly, with preparations and coordination among the departments concerned.
He said medical teams, the Forest Department, a civil magistrate, and fire and emergency services had been deployed. Of the 158 households identified, some had vacated the area the previous day, leaving 108 houses for eviction. Nearly 70% of those houses had been cleared, Hazarika said.
The operations across the three districts brought renewed focus to the administration’s efforts to clear allegedly encroached land, particularly in reserve forests, while affected families faced the immediate challenge of finding shelter and rebuilding their lives.