On Wednesday, 24th July, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state’s anti-encroachment drive was moving in the proper direction and that with the consistent efforts against the illegal encroachments, the state had recovered 167 sq km of land from the encroachers.
“In the last 3 years, with consistent Govt efforts & cooperation from a large section of society, we have been able to free up 167 sq. Km of land from encroachers, an area larger than the size of Chandigarh city. We are committed to making every inch of land free from encroachers,” Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X.
In the last 3 years, with consistent Govt efforts & cooperation from a large section of society, we have been able to free up 167 Sq. Km of land from encroachers, an area larger than the size of Chandigarh city.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 24, 2024
We are committed to make every inch of land free from encroachers. pic.twitter.com/ZERsBB7wOf
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has time and again raised his voice against illegal encroachments in the state. He and his government have been working to free the state land where the population of illegal encroachers has increased in the last 40 years. This illegal encroachment has allegedly been affecting the natural wildlife habitat and sanctuaries.
On July 20th, Sarma said that the Assam government had made strides in removing encroachers from both forest and revenue lands. Sarma reported that 16,776 hectares of land had been cleared in the last three years, including 9,646 hectares of forest land and 7,130 hectares of revenue land. “Many people ask what we’ve done to secure Assam’s future. In the last 3 years, the government has evicted encroachers and cleared 16,776 hectares of land. Who were the encroachers? No answer is required,” he said.
Many people ask what we've done to secure Assam's future. Here's a simple example: In the last 3 years, the government has evicted encroachers and cleared 16,776 hectares of land, including 9,646 hectares of forest land and 7,130 hectares of revenue land. Who were the…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 20, 2024
Rhinos returned to Bura Chapori and Laokhowa forest sanctuaries
Recently, in January 2024, Assam CM stated that Rhinos, once absent from the sanctuaries had moved to return to the Bura Chapori (44.06 sq km) and Laokhowa forest sanctuaries in Nagaon and Sonitpur districts as a result of the state’s efforts to free the area of illegal encroachments. “Happy to share that after 40 years, our iconic rhinos have returned to Laokhowa and Bura Chapori within one year of our successful anti-encroachment operation in the region. 51.7 square km of forest cover was retrieved from the evictions in 2023,” Assam CM was quoted as saying.
These sanctuaries have had substantial encroachment difficulties, requiring the government to take urgent action against illegal encroachment. The effective eviction operation which began in the year 2023 lasted four days to clear around 1,892 hectares of land in Bura Chapori.
Assam BJP government releases pictures post eviction drive at Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary.
— Arun Pudur (@arunpudur) May 14, 2023
Guess who were illegally occupying all this land?
(Pic 1 left- before eviction drive; Pic 2 right- after eviction drive) pic.twitter.com/VkD463P1L0
Reports mention that over four decades, this sanctuary, which was previously a thriving home for elephants, deer, birds, tigers, and one-horned rhinos, had been transformed into a mini-township, with dozens of communities constructed within its borders. Surprisingly, the bulldozers employed to remove the illegal encroachment not only demolished unlawful colonies, but also destroyed government infrastructure including schools, Anganwadi centers, and health facilities established by earlier Congress governments.
As per what is believed by the BJP, the then forest minister let illegal settlers occupy the sanctuary citing their electoral relevance. The encroachment is said to have peaked in the state during the Congress’ tenure from 2001 to 2016, with hundreds of illegal Bangladeshi families being settled to enhance the Congress vote bank.
Furthermore, the Congress government not only tolerated but actively encouraged intrusion by building roads, supplying power, and establishing educational and healthcare facilities for settlers. According to records from the Assam Land and Revenue Department, the number of encroachers increased significantly, from a few families in the 1980s to over 2,500 households in 40 years, with a total population of more than 12,000 people in these particular sanctuaries.
The encroachment drive began in the year 2023
The state CM who has been raising his voice against the illegal settlers in the state ordered the removal of illegal encroachment in January 2023. It was reported that 500 hectares of forest land in Assam’s Lakhimpur district, 2,560.25 hectares of Pava Reserve Forest, and around 10,500 hectares in Adhasona and Mohaghuli villages would be freed from the illegal encroachment.
In December 2022, the state conducted a successful anti-encroachment drive in Nagaon’s Batadrava, where around 5000 illegal encroachers were uprooted. Among the other big eviction drives was one in the Dhalpur area of Darrang district, which resulted in alleged violence, killing two people and injuring over 20 others in September 2021. This is after encroachers of the land attacked security forces as the latte moved to demolish the illegal properties.
The next big anti-encroachment drive happened in February 2023 when the government freed around 1,900 hectares of Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary from Bengali-speaking Muslims. A year after this drive, Rhinos arrived at the sanctuary. 29 hectares of land illegally occupied at Pava Reserve Forest had been freed.
The district administration conducted an eviction campaign in Bhabanipur, Barpeta district, to clear roughly 300 hectares owned by Gopal Dev Aata Satra, a Vaishnavite monastery.
In November 2023, 246 households were evicted from Nalbari Reserve Forest in Assam’s Goalpara district. All 246 households had been living on forest land illegally. Approximately 100 hectares of land had been cleared during this effort.
Also, on 8th November, an eviction drive in the Lumding reserve forest in the Hojai district of Assam was conducted to demolish around 555 houses and illegal structures. As per reports, the eviction drive was carried out under the direction of the Guwahati High Court to remove illegal occupants from reserve forest lands. The Assam government had deployed about 1000 security personnel including the State Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to prevent any untoward incident. According to the district administration in Hojai, most of the illegal occupants had left their homes before the commencement of the eviction drive.
Both elephants and bulldozers were used to demolish the illegal structures. An official informed on Monday, “Today, we have demolished around 555 houses, illegal structures. Most of the people who encroached on the forest lands have cooperated with us and they left the forest lands. Our drive will continue tomorrow also,” Assam CM was quoted as saying.
Eviction drive has been carried out peacefully in Lumding forest. Everyone (settlers) has been sent home. The forest is free of encroachment from today. Detailed statement to be released in the evening: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma pic.twitter.com/jJiyzaj1Le
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021
Assam CM raises concern over changing demography
Recently on July 17th, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grave concerns about the changing demographic composition in the Northern eastern border state. He asserted that demographic change was a matter of concern. He emphasized that this is not a political issue but rather for him, this is a “matter of life and death”.
CM Sarma also highlighted how the demographic composition has drastically changed in Assam over the last several decades. He mentioned that Muslims who comprised around 12-14% of the total state population in 1951 have reached 40% now. Addressing a press conference in Jharkhand’s capital, Rachi, CM Sarma said, “Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, the Muslim population has reached 40 percent today. In 1951, it was 12 percent.”
1951 में असम में मुसलमानों की आबादी सिर्फ़ 14% थी। आज उनकी आबादी लगभग 40% है।
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 17, 2024
जनसांख्यिकीय परिवर्तन हमारे लिए राजनीतिक मुद्दा नहीं है, यह अस्तित्व का मुद्दा है। pic.twitter.com/B3nsAokVD2
He explained that the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants was the duty of the state government. “I am fighting infiltrators every day,” he said. On 23rd June, he expressed concerns about the surge in communalism stating that the Bangladeshi-origin minority community is the only one in Assam which indulges in communalism.
Soon after forming a state government in June 2021, he expressed concerns about the population explosion. He said, “Population explosion is the root cause of economic disparities and poverty among minority Muslims in Assam.”
Conclusion
Illegal encroachment in Assam has had a tremendous impact on both wildlife and the environment. Encroachment, which occurs frequently under the guise of agricultural development, settlement, and other human activities, endangers Assam’s various ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
Encroachment further causes the destruction of forests and grasslands, which are critical habitats for an array of wildlife species. As human activities spread into natural habitats, human-animal interactions have more probability of growing in common. This can lead to confrontations, which might cause injury to both humans and animals.
State Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on March 16th last year that more than 70 people and 80 pachyderms on average die every year in human-elephant conflict in Assam. Patowary stated that increasing human occupation of the natural habitats of elephants had forced the animals to move out in search of food, which led to such conflicts with man.
Assam is home to several endangered species, including the one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, and a variety of bird species. Illegal encroachment compounds dangers to these species, bringing them closer to extinction. Further encroachment into protected areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries undermines conservation efforts. These areas are designated to preserve wildlife and biodiversity, and encroachment, be it legal or illegal, compromises their integrity.
The state under the leadership of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is making ample efforts to conserve the natural habitat and remove the illegal encroachments enhanced by the Bengali-speaking Muslims. The anti-encroachment drive is aiding the state to conserve the sanctuaries for animals and also protecting the ethnic culture of the state which is at times allegedly disturbed by the illegal infiltrators who lure the local tribals, especially women leading to severe demographic changes.
Conservation organizations and government agencies are working together to address this complex issue, but continuous efforts and support are needed to protect Assam’s wildlife’s natural heritage and its culture. The critic, opposition parties allegedly siding with the illegal encroachers must understand the root cause of the entire issue and support the state instead of criticizing the BJP government for its efforts to free the forest land of illegal encroachments.
