Encroachments on VGR, PGR, Satras and forest land to be cleared in systematic and phased manner: Assam CM

Golaghat (Assam) [India], July 25 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that all unauthorised occupation of VGR (Village Grazing Reserve), PGR (Professional Grazing Reserve), Satras, Naamghars, forest land, and other public areas would be cleared in a phased manner.
"The government will clear all illegal encroachments on VGR, PGR, Satras, Naamghars, and forest land across the State in a systematic and phased manner," said CM Sarma.
The Chief Minister visited Uriamghat in Golaghat district on Friday to inspect areas that have been encroached upon and for which the state government has already issued eviction notices.
Sarma told the media that thousands of bighas of land in the area had been unlawfully occupied.
He observed that certain families had encroached upon as much as 300 to 400 bighas of land, using it for various economic activities.
Emphasising that the government could not remain indifferent to such developments, the Chief Minister affirmed that appropriate action would follow, urging the public to cooperate with the measures the state government intends to implement.
"Nearly 70% of the encroachers had already vacated the land voluntarily. Those who had settled on the land came from various districts in Assam, such as Cachar, Sribhumi, Dhubri, Barpeta, Hojai, Nagaon, and Morigaon, as well as from other states, including West Bengal and Bihar. Their exact places of origin would be confirmed upon the collection of names and addresses, which would subsequently be shared with the relevant district authorities for verification and necessary follow-up," he said.
CM Sarma further added, "Thousands of bighas, thousands of acres of land were occupied by just a few families, 1000 families had occupied at least 10,000 acres of land. Now, gradually, everything is being cleared. I think everything will be vacated within the next three days. Some of these people claim they came from Bengal, some from Bihar, some from Dhubri, but the truth will only be known after investigation."
In a post on X, Sarma expressed shock over the extent of illegal commercial activity being carried out on encroached forest land.

"See the huge swathes of commercial betel nut plantations grown by encroachers in the forest land of Uriamghat. I was astounded to see the extent of plantations that were being run in collusion with the Supari Mafia. The good news? These won't be there anymore," he posted.
The Chief Minister stated that eviction notices had also been issued in the Negheribil area of Golaghat district and expressed hope that encroachers there would vacate the land in due course.
He noted reports indicating that Uriamghat had emerged as a centre for criminal activity owing to these encroachments. He expressed confidence that peace could be restored to the area with public cooperation once the land is vacated.
"The government, through the Forest Department and the local administration, intends to facilitate economic opportunities for local youth by harnessing available resources such as stone, sand, and valuable forest produce. Measures would be taken to protect the reclaimed land and ensure that the Forest Department could initiate reforestation and related activities," the Chief Minister said.
He affirmed that efforts would be directed towards ensuring local residents benefit from these interventions. He also disclosed that two individuals suspected of being key figures behind the encroachments have already been arrested.
Furthermore, he stated that the government maintains a comprehensive list of encroached areas across the state that require attention.
CM Sarma added that, in recent days, residents from various parts of Assam had reached out via social media to urge action against encroachments in their respective areas. He appealed to citizens and organisations to promptly inform the administration of any instances of encroachment, stressing that while the government would deal with existing cases, public vigilance is essential to prevent new ones.
Upon completion of the Uriamghat eviction drive, he noted, the total area of land cleared of encroachments across the state would exceed 1.5 lakh bighas.
He also acknowledged the cooperation extended by the Government of Nagaland in this initiative.
Chief Minister Sarma was accompanied during his visit by local MLA Biswajit Phukan, Special Chief Secretary (Forests) M. K. Yadav, Inspector General of Police (Law & Order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh, District Commissioner Pulak Mahanta, and other administrative officials. (ANI)