Assam: Massive eviction drive in Orang National Park to clear 21000 Bighas of encroached land

Guwahati: Massive eviction drive by Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Government in Orang National Park area. The 5 days eviction drive will be conducted in Sonitpur and Darrang district starting from May 28. District authority of Sonitpur informed that the first 2 days of eviction drive on May 28 and 29 will be conducted in Sonitpur district.

Authorities are aiming to clear 21000 bighas of riverine areas under the new editions of Orang National Park. More than 1300 families of illegal Muslim settlers encroached 21000 bighas of the national park over the last few decades.

On the first day of the eviction the authorities are targeting to clear the Biskhuti Char, Thengbangha Char, Sardar Char, Pansu Char and Tengagarah Char. On May 29 eviction drives will be conducted in Muslim Char, Sadutilla Char, Sitalmari Char and Singari Char. On May 30, 31 and June 1, the eviction drive will be conducted in the areas of the park belonging to the Darrang district.

District authorities have deployed over 2000 security personnel and forest guards for the 5 days eviction drive. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma last week held a discussion with police and forest officials regarding a peaceful conduct of the eviction drive.

Later talking to the media he said the genuine Indian citizens who are actually landless can apply for the government land and administration will allot land to landless Indian families as per government rules. It should be mentioned that no unwanted incidents have been reported from the eviction sites and most of the encroacher families had vacated the areas before the eviction drive began.

The Orang National Park was established as a sanctuary in 1985 and declared a national park in 1999. The park has an area of 79.28 square kilometres. But over the past few decades thousands of doubtful Muslim citizens encroached over 21000 bighas of the riverine areas of the 2nd edition of the park. It should be mentioned that Guwahati High Court had passed an order to clear the forest areas of the state encroached by illegal settlers.

In February 2023, the Assam government carried out another eviction drive in the Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary in Sonitpur district. At least 2,500 families were evicted, and around 1900 hectares of land were cleared of encroachment