Goalpara (Assam), Jun 16 (PTI) The Assam government on Monday launched an eviction drive in Goalpara district to clear alleged encroachment by 667 families, mostly from the migrant Bengali-speaking community, officials said.
The operation began at 7 am in Hasilabeel village under Balijana revenue circle amidst heavy security deployment, they added.
“There was no resistance from the encroachers, and no untoward incident has been reported so far,” Goalpara Deputy Commissioner Khanindra Chaudhary told reporters.
The eviction was carried out in 45 per cent of 1,555 bighas, while the remaining area is a water body, an official said.
There are five lower primary schools in the village, which are slated for demolition.
Around 20 bulldozers and excavators have been deployed for the purpose, he said.
Chaudhary said the villagers had been served eviction notices earlier in 2023 and 2024, but failed to vacate.
“We again served them notices on Friday and asked them to clear their houses by Monday morning. Placards and posters were also put up at different places with the same message”, he said.
Chaudhary, along with Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Mahanta, have been camping in the village since morning, while IGP(Law and Order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh arrived later to review the situation.
According to officials, many residents left the village with their belongings, while the remaining families have requested the district administration to rehabilitate them.
”I was born here, and so was my father. My grandfather settled here when Jogighopa bridge was being constructed. We are cooperating with the authorities and have requested them to provide us with an alternative place to stay”, a local resident said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently said that eviction drives to clear encroached land will continue.
Sarma said many eviction drives have been carried out over the last four years, and his government has ensured that the cleared land is not encroached again.
“We have conducted at least one eviction drive in each district, and our biggest achievement is that now people are afraid to settle on encroached land,” Sarma had said. PTI COR DG DG MNB
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