Eviction drive at Hengrabari Reserve Forest

HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 6: A team of Forest departments officials, comprising the staff of Guwahati Range Office, staff of Hengrabari Beat Office and AFPF Staff of 1st Battalion, Basistha carried out a search cum patrolling operation at Hengrabari Reserve Forest, under Guwahati Forest Range of Kamrup Forest East Division, based on a specific information received from beat officer, Hengrabari Beat regarding fresh encroachment of reserve forest on Monday.
After reaching the GPS coordinates of the reserve forest, the team detected a plot where fresh construction was being carried out by a woman for illegal occupation of an area measuring 7800 sq ft. Upon questioning, the woman who identified herself as Purnima Singha Rajkumari alias Purnima Singh (50), W/o Lt. Manila Rajkumar, of Dudhpur village, Silchar, Assam explained that the area was occupied by her about 5 days ago. As the area falls very inside the reserve forest, the woman was detained with the assistance of female AFPF constables and the whole area was searched in presence of available witnesses. During the search, the IO detected and seized all kinds of construction materials including the temporary bamboo hut and prepared a seizure list in presence of her family members and staff.
The accused person failed to produce any document regarding the ownership of the claimed piece of land and hence was arrested and taken to Guwahati Range for further investigation.
Notably, the area was ejected several times by forest staff and planted seedlings in 2021, which was removed by the accused by clearing.