Guwahati, Nov 13 (IANS) Reaffirming the Assam government’s zero-tolerance approach towards illegal encroachment on government land, the Lakhimpur district administration on Friday carried out a major eviction drive, clearing 19 bighas of encroached land in the No. 1 and No. 2 Boginadi Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) areas, officials said.
According to the district administration, the land had allegedly remained under encroachment for several years.
A total of 132 families comprising 704 people were reportedly occupying the government-designated land.
Officials said permanent houses and other structures had been constructed on the land, while a mosque and betel nut plantations had also come up in the encroached areas.
The eviction operation was launched after the administration issued official notices to the occupants.
Following the alleged failure to vacate the land within the stipulated period, authorities moved in with bulldozers to demolish unauthorised structures and reclaim the government land.
The operation forms part of the Assam government’s continuing statewide campaign to free government land from illegal occupation and protect land earmarked for specific public and community purposes.
PGR and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) lands are designated for community use and are considered important for preserving common resources and maintaining ecological balance.
The state government has repeatedly said that such reserved land cannot be allowed to remain under illegal occupation.
The Lakhimpur district administration is expected to intensify the exercise, with further eviction operations scheduled at Koilamari and Borbil on November 14.
Reiterating the administration’s stand, the District Commissioner said illegal constructions and encroachments on government-designated PGR and VGR land would not be permitted.
The latest operation underlines the Assam government’s sustained push against encroachment, with the administration maintaining that government and community land reserved for public purposes must be protected from unauthorised occupation.
–IANS
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