GUWAHATI, May 12 ? The state government should immediately start evicting the encroachers from the Kaziranga National Park, demanded the secretary of the Asom Gana Parishad legislature party, Sri Silip Kumar Saikia. The AGP leader today pointed out that even persons of doubtful nationality have encroached into the territory of the National Park and according to reports, sometimes poachers took shelter among the encroachers. He pointed out that by the strength of the supreme court order, the government can easily launch an eviction drive in the National Park. He also demanded that the state government should immediately launch an eviction drive against the encroachers in the reserved forest areas particularly in the areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
Referring to the recent eviction drive in the Batahghuli area in the outskirts of the city, Sri Saikia said that they were not against eviction of encroachers of forest land, but different aspects in this regard should have been looked into to avoid untoward incidents. He said that persons involved in giving electricity connection to encroachers of forest land should be punished. ?The government is also maintaining double standard. The persons who attacked the eviction party at Batahghuli were arrested but no action was taken against legislator Praneswar Basumatary, who even burnt down a forest camp at Nameri,? he added.
Meanwhile, the eviction operation in the Batahghuli area continued for the fourth day today. Official sources rvealed that altogether 141 premises including some concrete structures were demolished in the eviction drive today. Sources said the eviction party comprising forest department personnel, magistrates and police personnel; did not face any resistance from the encroachers. Official sources said that the operation was completed in the Batahghuli area this afternoon. Tomorrow, the forest department is planning to launch a drive in the forest land in the Khanapara area of the city against the encroachers.