Assam Starts Survey to Trace ‘Demography-Changing’ Settlers in Guwahati Forests

Guwahati: Amid the ongoing eviction drive in Upper Assam adjoining border with Nagaland, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that his government was carrying out a targeted survey across forest lands in and around Guwahati to identify non-indigenous settlers whose families have not lived in the region for at least three generations.

He however clarified that the exercise does not cover revenue lands and explicitly excludes indigenous communities.

After chairing a cabinet meeting the chief minister told reporters that the survey was not linked to religion and focuses solely on individuals suspected of settling with the “intent to disrupt the demography” of the area.

Asserting that indigenous people living in forest areas should not worry about the survey, he said, “This survey pertains only to forest land. It has nothing to do with religion. Indigenous populations residing in these areas are not within its scope.”

He said that his government was actively considering granting land rights (pattas) to indigenous people currently living on forest land under the upcoming Mission Basundhara III initiative.

Expressing concern over the growing urban population in Guwahati, Mr Sarma said,“Guwahati is bearing a heavy load. If it’s meant to accommodate 10 lakh people, nearly double that number are living here now, we need to do a little clearing to ease the strain.”

Reiterating that indigenous residents of Guwahati should not worry about the ongoing survey, the chief minister warned that a section of vested interest circles was trying to create confusion to disrupt the ongoing drive to evict non-indigenous encroachers from forest and government lands.

Meanwhile the Forest Department has served fresh eviction notices to individuals accused of unlawfully occupying forest land in the Fatasil area of Guwahati.

The official notice stated that the encroachers had entered protected forest zones, carried out deforestation, and violated Sections 24 and 25 of the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891 (amended in 1995).

The department, invoking Section 72(g), has directed them to vacate the land within seven days. The authorities have warned that failure to comply will result in forced eviction, and the department will not be liable for any damages incurred during the process.