Assam forest department starts drive to evict 1400 families from Amchang wildlife sanctuary

By deploying around 10,000 security and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, 20 elephants, 20 excavators, the forest department started the eviction drives against the encroachers from two sides in the wildlife sanctuary.

A top official of Kamrup (Metro) district said the eviction drive was conducted at Batahghuli and Yousuf Nagar area in the wildlife sanctuary and evicted around 300 houses, several educational institutions, religious infrastructures.

"The eviction drive will continue in next four days to evict all 1400 families, who were illegally encroached the wildlife sanctuary land," the official said.

Meanwhile, several people, including security personnel were injured, during clash while the forest department started eviction drive at Yousuf Nagar area.

According to reports, the local people resorted to pelting stones, targeting security personnel as they attempted to halt the drive.

The district administration official said that at least 5 security personnel were injured in the attack.

"The drive will continue until to evict all encroachers from the wildlife sanctuary," the official said.

On the other hand, several organizations, including Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, protested against the eviction drive and threatened the state government to create untoward situation if the drive wouldn't stop immediately.

The Gauhati High Court on Aug 2 had given a month time to the state government to clear the encroachers after the court took up a PIL in 2003 over the encroachment inside the 78.64 km radius sanctuary.

On the other hand, the Gauhati High Court on Friday ordered the state government to stop eviction drive at two sides named Yousuf Nagar and Bajra Nonke village till Sept 18 next.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)