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In Assam's Golaghat district, forest officials cleared over 300 bighas of encroached land in the Doyang Reserve Forest, demolishing 146 unauthorised houses and displacing more than 200 residents. The eviction followed repeated notices and a court battle in which a division bench granted residents two weeks to prove legal land ownership or vacate. While 59 houses were temporarily spared pending hearings, demolition proceeded for others without documentation. Authorities plan to restore the cleared land ecologically, but community groups argue many residents have lived there for decades and deserve resettlement rights. The case underscores tensions between conservation efforts and human settlement needs.
Officials from the forest department in Assam's Golaghat district undertook a major eviction drive targeting encroachments in the Doyang Reserve Forest. The operation, aimed at reclaiming over 300 bighas of protected land, led to the demolition of 146 houses said to have been built without authorisation. More than 200 residents were displaced as a result. Advertisement
Authorities stated that the eviction followed repeated notices issued to occupants over the past week, instructing them to vacate the land. However, the matter soon became the subject of legal disputes, with affected residents petitioning the courts for relief. Initially, a single-judge bench extended the eviction deadline to the following week, but later, a division bench granted residents an additional two weeks to produce proof of lawful land allotment or vacate voluntarily.
In compliance with the court's directive, the demolition proceeded for those unable to present documentation, while 59 houses were temporarily spared pending further hearings. Forest officials emphasised that the cleared land would be restored to its original ecological state, while community groups argued that many residents had been living there for decades and should be entitled to resettlement or ownership rights.
The eviction has also highlighted longstanding tensions between environmental conservation policies and human settlement needs. Local advocacy organisations have called for a balanced approach that safeguards forest resources while ensuring the welfare of displaced families. The matter now awaits further legal review, which will determine whether the spared households can remain or will ultimately face eviction.
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