Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday hinted at continuing eviction drives in the state saying the recent drive in Sonitpur district had enabled two tigers to return to their habitat, amid fierce criticism from the Opposition quarters which claimed that it was lopsided and snatches away the rights of the people living in the forest.
The CM backed the drives saying that his government was committed to “reclaiming the land which rightfully belongs to Assam’s diverse flaura and fauna."
“The Big Cat comes back home! Beautiful sightings of not just one but two majestic tigers by our camera traps days after an eviction drive at Burachapori RF. ( 7th & 9th March) We are committed to reclaiming the land which rightfully belongs to Assam’s diverse flaura & fauna (sic),” Sarma said in a tweet today (March 11) morning.
Also read: Assam: 400 bighas cleared in second eviction drive within a week; Cong MLA detained
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The Big Cat comes back home!
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 11, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Beautiful sightings of not just one but two majestic tigers by our camera traps days after an eviction drive at Burachapori RF. ( 7th & 9th March)
We are commited to reclaiming the land which rightfully belongs to Assam’s diverse flaura & fauna. pic.twitter.com/OE1hhamjtD
">The Big Cat comes back home!
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 11, 2023
Beautiful sightings of not just one but two majestic tigers by our camera traps days after an eviction drive at Burachapori RF. ( 7th & 9th March)
We are commited to reclaiming the land which rightfully belongs to Assam’s diverse flaura & fauna. pic.twitter.com/OE1hhamjtDThe Big Cat comes back home!
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 11, 2023
Beautiful sightings of not just one but two majestic tigers by our camera traps days after an eviction drive at Burachapori RF. ( 7th & 9th March)
We are commited to reclaiming the land which rightfully belongs to Assam’s diverse flaura & fauna. pic.twitter.com/OE1hhamjtD
Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary, which the CM was referring to, is spread across 44.06 sq km land on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra river. It is located 180 km east of Guwahati. The Assam CM's cryptic statement comes amid criticism from Opposition over the eviction drives in the state, which have been intensified of late.
The Assam government carried out a massive eviction drive at Burachapori area of Sonitpur to reclaim the land allegedly encroached by the locals. Earlier, a similar eviction drive was carried out across Sonitpur district to reclaim nearly 2000 hectares of forest land and revenue land from the “encroachers”.
The areas where the massive eviction drives were carried out include Lathimari, Ganesh Tapu, Baghe Tapu, Gulirpar and Siali. The eviction drive was primarily opposed since it was lopsided and detrimental to the local population predominantly Trbals who live in the forest lands. The Congress slammed the Himanta Biswa led BJP government over the drive saying the dwellers were entitled to live in the forest as provided for under the Forest Rights Act 2006.
