Hailakandi dist eviction drive to hit 500 families

Silchar: A large-scale eviction drive was launched on Monday at Damcherra forest village under the Gharmora forest range in Hailakandi district to clear encroachments on reserve forest land, officials said.The operation targets the eviction of 516 families and the reclamation of around 2,800 bighas of land. The drive, jointly carried out by the district administration and the forest department, began around 8am amid tight security arrangements, with nearly 150 bulldozers deployed across seven sectors.Officials said the first day passed off peacefully, with no resistance reported.The forest department said the land, part of the Gharmora Inner Line Reserve Forest along Assam’s border with Mizoram, had been under illegal occupation for several years, with settlers constructing houses and cultivating crops, including areca nut plantations. About a month ago, eviction notices were issued asking occupants to vacate within a stipulated period. Officials said nearly 80% of the affected families dismantled their homes voluntarily and relocated elsewhere.On Monday, eviction was carried out in sectors 5, 6 and 7, affecting over 150 families. Bulldozers were used to clear standing crops and plantations as part of the reclamation process.To maintain law and order, the district administration imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) across the district till Feb 5, and prohibited the entry of political leaders and party workers into the eviction sites.Villages covered on the first day included Purba Damchera, Madhya Damchera and Ujan Damchera. Authorities said the eviction drive would continue as scheduled till Feb 5 under the supervision of senior district and forest officials.