Guwahati, Aug 5 (IANS) The Gauhati High Court has put a temporary halt on the ongoing eviction drive in Uriamghat in the Rengma Reserve Forest located in Assam’s Golaghat district, granting relief to over 75 residents who have challenged the legality of the operation.

A Division Bench led by the Chief Justice passed the interim order on Tuesday, following multiple petitions that questioned the legal status of the land and the process followed by the authorities.

The petitioners argued that the area in question has neither been officially classified as forest nor revenue land, and that they have been residing there for several years.

The residents further claimed that various government welfare schemes – such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), electricity connections, and other civic amenities – have been extended to the area, implying official recognition of their settlement.

Taking cognisance of the submissions, the High Court directed the Assam government to file a detailed affidavit by August 14, clarifying the land’s legal classification and outlining all actions taken in connection with the eviction.

The court also instructed the petitioners to submit documentary evidence supporting their claims of legal land allotment and long-term residence. This comes after the court had earlier extended the deadline for eviction compliance to August 7, offering the residents a temporary reprieve.

Speaking to reporters, Advocate A.R. Bhuyan, who is representing the petitioners, said, “Our contention is that no proper demarcation has been done, making any eviction process legally questionable. The residents were given only a seven-day notice without an opportunity to present their case.”

He added that the petitioners have now submitted all necessary documents to the court, which has scheduled the next hearing for August 14. The Bench has directed that a detailed chargesheet be submitted, including proof of government allotment where applicable.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said that the first phase of the eviction drive at Uriamghat was completed, and at least 1,200 hectares of land were made free from encroachment.

Sarma said, “Phase I of the eviction drive in Uriamghat is over, where we recovered more than 1200 hectares of land in Rengma Reserve Forest.”

The Chief Minister also warned that the eviction exercise will continue in the state to clear illegal encroachment.

“The drive will continue, here as well as across the state to take back every inch of land, which rightfully belongs to the people of Assam,” CM Sarma added.

The state administration in Assam’s Golaghat district launched a large-scale eviction drive in the previous week.

In the eviction exercise, nearly 2,000 families accused of encroaching upon forest land in the Rengma Reserve Forest under the Sarupathar sub-division in the Golaghat district had to leave the forest area.

–IANS

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