Authorities in Assam’s Goalpara district will launch a two-day eviction drive from Sunday to clear encroachments from over 375 acres of forest land, officials said.

District Commissioner Prodip Timung said notices had been served to 580 households occupying land in the Dahikata reserve forest, with nearly 70 per cent of them already vacating. “The eviction drive will be undertaken to clear encroachments from 1,140 bighas (376 acres) of forest land. It will be carried out over two days from tomorrow,” Timung said.

He added that the area has been divided into five blocks, with residents in four blocks already leaving. “We have allowed the people to dismantle and move out with their belongings by today, and most have gone,” the DC said.

The operation is being conducted in line with Gauhati High Court directives, which earlier heard three petitions related to the matter. Timung said sufficient security has been deployed and no resistance has been reported so far.

The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government has intensified eviction drives across Assam to clear encroached lands. The chief minister has asserted that such operations will continue until all encroachments are removed, claiming that large tracts are under the possession of “illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and doubtful citizens.” According to official figures, 29 lakh bighas (over 9.5 lakh acres) remain encroached in the state, while 1.29 lakh bighas (over 42,500 acres) have been cleared in the past four years.