"Should have been done decades ago": Assam Dy Speaker praises CM Sarma for initiating eviction drives against illegal immigrants

Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 13 (ANI): Assam Deputy Speaker Numal Momin on Sunday praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's government for initiating eviction drives against illegal immigrants, stating that the Chief Minister has taken the right step by clearing government land occupied by these individuals.
Momin said that the eviction drives are a necessary measure to protect the state's interests and that these should have been done decades ago.
"The Chief Minister has taken the right action by clearing government land that was encroached by illegal immigrants. Not only government land but religious settlement. One by one this eviction drive continues. These illegal occupants have been evicted. This eviction was very much needed, this should have been done long before, 20-30 years ago," the state's Deputy Speaker told ANI.
The Assam government, led by Chief Minister Sarma, has been actively working to identify and deport illegal immigrants, with recent operations resulting in the deportation of several Bangladeshi nationals.
The state government has been intensifying its efforts to detect and deport undocumented immigrants, with Chief Minister Sarma emphasising the importance of safeguarding Assam's demographic integrity and border security.
Around 1080 families have been evicted and 2700 structures have been demolished by officials.
He accused the Congress government of intentionally allowing Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam, allegedly with the intention of ruining the state.
The Assam government on July 12 carried out a massive eviction drive in the Paikan Reserve Forest area in Goalpara district, evicted families who are are suspected to be illegal immigrants. Earlier, an eviction drive was carried out in Bilasipara subdivision of Dhubri district. Multiple such drives have happened across various parts of the state. The Assam government has confirmed that eviction drives will be happening in the state in the coming days too.
A large number of security personnel have been deployed Paikan Reserve area to maintain the law and order situation.
Tejas Mariswamy, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Goalpara Division, said that there is encroachment in around 140 hectares of land in the Paikan Reserve Forest area, and the High Court has instructed to clear it in order to revive the forest.
"Paikan Reserve Forest area was declared a reserve in 1982. There was an encroachment of nearly 140 hectares. Goalpara has the highest elephant-human conflict in the country. The HC has instructed to clear the encroachment and revive the forest," DFO Mairswamy told ANI.
The official further said that 650 hectares of land have been cleared amid the ongoing eviction drive in the state.
"Till today, 650 hectares of encroachment have been cleared. By the end of the day today, approximately 790 to 800 hectares of area will be cleared. All man-made structures will be removed to revive the forest," the DFO said.
He added, "Here there are around 1080 families, and total man-made structures are around 2700."
According to officials, the majority of residents vacated the area within the deadline earlier issued by the administration, relocating along with their households and belongings.
The drive was conducted over approximately 3,500 bighas of land, earmarked for the construction of a thermal power project estimated to cost Rs 40,000 crore. (ANI)