Deopahar RF boundary yet to be demarcated

GOLAGHAT, Dec 17— The historic Deopahar of Numaligarh within Golaghat district was declared as a reserve forest area by the Governor of Assam on August 19, 1999 through a notification No. FRS-18-99-15. It was published in the Assam Gazette on September 13, 2000. The Deopahar reserve forest area covers about 133.44 hectares of land and it is known and identified as a forest area. But still, the forest department, Revenue department and Numaligarh tea garden management have failed to demarcate and settle the actual boundaries for proper protection of the reserve forest. It may be mentioned that the reserve forest area was surveyed in the past but still the proceedings and the report thereof has not been published. Meanwhile, it is alleged by the neighbouring people that the Numaligarh tea garden encroached 50 bighas of forest land. However, it is informed by the tea garden authority that they have not encroached upon the forest land of Deopahar, but according to a source in the Forest department, an area of 7.62 hectares of land is still under occupation of the encroachers.

The Forest department is communicating with the district administration of Golaghat district for solving the problems prevailing between tea garden authority and forest department, the Forest department sources said.