Guwahati : In one of the largest anti-encroachment operations undertaken in Assam in recent times, the administration on Sunday launched a massive eviction drive across reserved forest areas in the Patharkandi constituency of Sribhumi district, with more than 2,000 families facing displacement.

The operation is aimed at reclaiming nearly 12,000 hectares of encroached forest land and is currently underway in the Sribhumi Reserved Forest. Eviction notices had earlier been issued to families occupying the protected areas, following which district and forest authorities moved in to clear illegal settlements.

Senior district officials and forest department personnel are supervising the exercise on the ground, with a substantial deployment of police and paramilitary forces to maintain law and order during the drive.

Officials said a large number of residents had already dismantled their homes and relocated after receiving eviction notices. However, the administration has intensified the operation to remove remaining structures and clear encroachments from the forest land. Houses, temporary establishments and vegetation within the reserved areas are being dismantled as part of the reclamation process.

More than 50 heavy machines, including JCBs and excavators, have been pressed into service to expedite the clearance. Elephants are also being used by forest officials to navigate and operate in difficult terrain. Police and forest personnel have been mobilised from different parts of the state to ensure the operation proceeds without disruption.

The eviction drive is being carried out across multiple forest blocks in the Patharkandi region, including Madhurban, Narayanpur, Chagalmowa, Madhabpur, Badshahi and Dohalia reserved forest areas.

Authorities said the exercise is part of a broader effort to restore protected forest land, curb illegal occupation and prevent further encroachment, reiterating the government’s commitment to forest conservation and the enforcement of environmental laws.