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‘Evictions take years, not days’: CM on legal process behind conducting drives

Sarma says every eviction follows years of legal prep, satellite mapping & High Court scrutiny

By The Assam Tribune
‘Evictions take years, not days’: CM on legal process behind conducting drives
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A file image of bulldozers meant for evicting encroachers in Assam. (AT Photo)

Guwahati, July 15: Every major eviction drive to reclaim Assam’s encroachment forest and government lands is a result of painstaking legal groundwork, clearances from courts and not a sudden administrative action, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Tuesday.

Addressing concerns about the legality and impact of recent evictions across the state, Sarma told the press at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur that the process of preparing for each eviction often takes years.

“People think we can just go and remove encroachers overnight. But in reality, every single eviction you see - from Bura Chapori to Lumding to Orang - has been sanctioned by either the Gauhati High Court, the Supreme Court or the respective district courts,” Sarma said.

The Chief Minister revealed that it takes at least four years to plan and execute a major eviction.

“We need to build a rock-solid legal case, gather evidence, show satellite images, and convince the courts why the eviction is essential, whether it’s for wildlife corridors, wetlands, or reserved forest status,” he explained.

Citing the example of Silsako, the Chief Minister said, “When we evicted Silsako, we showed the High Court satellite images from 15 years ago to prove it was a wetland. Only then did we get the order,” Sarma added.

He acknowledged that courts do not approve evictions without substantial proof and that it often requires multiple rounds of data collection and hearings.

“We must provide irrefutable ground reports, prove ecological damage, and show that rehabilitation of the land is crucial. The courts ask tough questions, and rightly so,” he said.

Sarma pointed out that Opposition leaders and vested interests often stall eviction drives through court petitions.

“Even if we issue eviction notices today, people go to court. There will be hearings, debates, and only if the court finds our grounds valid, we get the go-ahead,” he said.

He added that each successful eviction sets a legal precedent for future operations.

“For example, the High Court agreed that the corridor from Kaziranga to Orang is an animal passage. So when encroachments block it, we can make a strong case for wildlife protection,” he said.

The Chief Minister hinted that more evictions are in the pipeline. “Preparation for the next set of drives is ready. But people need to understand, this is not random. It’s painstaking, slow, but absolutely necessary,” he said.

Since 2021, the state has reclaimed over 12,003 hectares through court-cleared evictions, including reserved forests, grazing lands, and religious land encroachments.

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