Massive encroachment of forest lands in Assam-Nagaland border areas

GOLAGHAT, June 6 ? The British government had declared large areas of Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Karbi Anglong districts of the border areas of Assam-Nagaland as reserve forest areas according to the Bengal Forest Act. But now large areas of forest lands have been occupied by the encroachers, among them ? suspected foreign national of Bangladesh, and Nagas and they have turned them into villages. The suspected foreign nationals of Bangladeshi origin have felled trees and cleared and for cultivation, the local people have alleged. Duo to apathy of the forest department the world-famous Renglua and Numbor forest reserves have already been encroached. In the name of ?harassment? of the encroachers, the political leaders have interferred and stopped the drive against the encroachers. The forest land cover of ?A?, ?B?, ?C? ?D? and ?E? sector are ?Diphu 18,363,000 hectares, South Numbor reserve forest ? 27,240,00 hectares, Dayang RF ? 24,635,77, Renglua ? RF 13,921,000 hectares Dessoi Valley RF ? 16,381,45 hectares, Dessoi RF ? 5,954.55 hectares, Geleki RF ? 5,157.00 hectares. But now in Diphu RF 18,053,00 hectares, South Numbor RF ? 25,000.00 hectares, Rengua ? 11,800,00 hectares, Dayang RF ? 23,000.00 hectares of land have been occupied by the encroachers.