Guwahati, July 15: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday announced that the state government has reclaimed over 1.19 lakh bighas of encroached land across Assam since the BJP-led government took office in 2021. The cleared land includes forest areas, government khas land, grazing reserves, and properties belonging to religious institutions.
Addressing a press conference, Sarma said the total reclaimed land spans approximately 160 square kilometres, with major eviction drives conducted in Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Hojai, and Goalpara districts.
In the last 4 years, we have freed up over 160 https://t.co/JCqQa4nXEb of land in Assam.
This is about 75% of the total area of our capital Guwahati!!!
We are committed to free EVERY INCH of land from encroachers. pic.twitter.com/7HEDkrnYEh
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 15, 2025
“These encroachments didn’t happen overnight. Reclaiming the land is a complex, long-term process requiring strong political will and administrative commitment,” the Chief Minister stated.
The area of land reclaimed consists of 84,743 bighas of forest land, 26,713 bighas of government khas land, 3,643 bighas of Village and Professional Grazing Reserve (VGR and PGR) land and 4,449 bighas belonging to satras, namghars, and temples.
Assam has faced an existential threat due to rampant illegal infiltration and a planned encroachment to alter demography of districts. THIS FACES A MAJOR ROADBLOCK DUE TO OUR POLICIES.
Over 1.19 lakh bighas of land have been freed from encroachers in the State as we stand firm… pic.twitter.com/DPtrVF8f45
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 15, 2025
The most significant recoveries include: Sonitpur: 49,537 bighas, mostly in Burha Chapori, Lakhimpur: 13,481 bighas in Poba Reserve Forest, Darrang: 17,905 bighas, including Garukhuti, Hojai: 10,749 bighas, Goalpara: 8,280 bighas and Barpeta: 1,934 bighas, including Satra land
Other districts such as Kamrup, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Cachar, Dhubri, and Hailakandi also saw evictions ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand bighas.
Hitting at urban environmentalists, Sarma said, “When we cut a few trees in Guwahati, some people protest. But when we reclaim and reforest thousands of bighas of encroached forest land, no one speaks up.”
He noted that in areas like Burha Chapori and Poba, wildlife such as elephants have started returning after years, describing it as a sign of true ecological recovery.
Sarma raised concerns about what he termed as demographic manipulation through land encroachment. Citing specific examples, he alleged that families from Barpeta, Nagaon, Goalpara, and Mankachar had illegally occupied land in Lakhimpur, despite owning land in their home districts.
“This is not about land alone—it’s about protecting Assam’s cultural and ethnic identity,” Sarma said. “This is not land jihad. This is a jihad to save Assam.”
According to government estimates, over 63 lakh bighas of land remain illegally occupied in Assam, including 29 lakh bighas of forest land. Sarma blamed past Congress governments for inaction and alleged that some officials even enabled encroachments—for example, naming former DFO Suleman Choudhury in Goalpara.
The Chief Minister admitted that eviction efforts are time-consuming and often met with legal and social challenges.
“Evicting even one area can take up to four years,” he said. “Many district commissioners are reluctant to act decisively.”
Sarma reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy on new encroachments, stating that no illegal occupation will be regularised or supported.
He said it may take two more decades of consistent efforts to completely free Assam of encroachments.
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