GUWAHATI, March 26 � A total of 2,40,979 hectares of forestland in 88 reserve forests of the State situated along inter-state borders are under encroachment. Parts of the encroachment are by neighbouring States including Arunachal and Nagaland while the rest have been by people, including tribals, of Assam.
This was revealed in the State Assembly today by Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain while answering a question by Dr Manoranjan Das (AGP).
Hussain said that the State Government had filed a case in the Supreme Court for checking encroachment by Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. �The apex court has constituted a three-member committee which is now taking hearing for demarcating the boundary. The State Government is committed to take necessary action once the court pronounces its verdict,� he said.
On the prospects of evicting the various offices and institutions set up by the encroaching States after clearing the forestland, Hussain said that could be done after the court cases were disposed of.
Dr Das, however, pointed out that there had been fresh instances of encroachment even as the court cases were pending, and urged the Government to check such encroachment bids.
Dulal Ghosh (Congress) drew the attention of the Government to the unabated sale of forestland in Goalpara district, saying that people were buying such land at cheap rates and even villages were coming up on forestland. He said that if necessary the Government should de-reserve the forest and then settle people.
Pradip Hazarika (AGP) termed the growing encroachment on forestland on the borders as a grave problem, and said that the menace was being perpetuated by the absence of adequate security and infrastructure in those areas. Citing an example, he said that the Geleki reserve had no security at the ground level, and urged the minister to visit the border forests at the earliest. The minister assured that he would soon visit the areas.
