Evictions in Golaghat: Gauhati High Court Enforces Forest Conservation

The Gauhati High Court has ordered families in Doyang and Nambor reserve forests, Golaghat district, to vacate within a week. The state government is tasked with preventing future illegal settlements. The court emphasizes the establishment of a robust mechanism for forest conservation, amid ongoing eviction drives displacing thousands.

The Gauhati High Court has mandated that families residing in Doyang and Nambor reserve forests in Golaghat district must vacate their settlements within seven days. This directive comes with a call to the state government to establish preventive measures against future illegal settlements.

The directive was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury, following hearings on petitions by 74 individuals contesting the eviction notices. These notices were claimed to be inconsistent with the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, the Assam Land Policy, 2019, and a December 2024 Supreme Court order.

The court highlighted the need for continuous surveillance of reserve forests to deter unauthorized entry and ensure ecological balance is maintained. Emphasizing a check mechanism, the court suggested measures like sealing entry points and erecting functional checkpoints to be managed honestly and efficiently. Meanwhile, nine eviction drives have displaced over 50,000 people, primarily Bengali-speaking Muslims.