The Forest Department, in coordination with the Hojai district administration, is set to launch a major eviction drive against illegal encroachers in several forest areas of Hojai district, Assam.

Problem of Encroachment

• Scale of Damage: Over the past decades, large tracts of forest land, originally part of the Daboka Reserved Forest, have been illegally occupied. 
• Environmental Degradation: The encroachers are accused of clearing the original forest cover and converting the land for non-forest activities, including:
  • Establishing betel nut farms and taking up other agricultural activities.
  • Digging ponds for fish farming.
  • Constructing illegal houses and settling permanently.
• Alarming Situation: This long-term activity has resulted in the destruction of trees and other forest resources, posing an alarming situation for the already fragile forest ecosystem in the area.
• Scale of Encroachment: Notices served to around 1,250 families, with more than 5,500 bighas of forest land found under encroachment.
  • Areas identified include Udmari, Jamuna village, Ganiarpar village, and adjoining localities

Legal and Administrative Context

• Reserved Forest Status: The area is officially designated as Reserved Forest land, which means it is protected under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, where settlement and cultivation are prohibited.
• Government Action: The district administration and the Forest Department have strategised the modalities of conducting the drive to reclaim the reserved forest land and restore the damaged ecosystem.

Socio-Economic Challenge

• Livelihood Concerns: While some families have vacated the land, a majority continue to reside, expressing deep uncertainty about relocation and future livelihood.
• Governance Challenge: The eviction drive presents a classic governance challenge: enforcing the law and protecting critical environmental resources (conservation) versus addressing the humanitarian concerns of displacement and ensuring the rehabilitation of affected families.

Exam Hook: Prelims Question

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the legal classification of forest land in India:

1. A Reserved Forest is the most restricted category of protected forest land where local communities have no rights unless specifically granted.
2. The Indian Forest Act, 1927, provides the legal framework for the declaration and management of Reserved Forests and Protected Forests.
3. The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, grants the right to relocate and rehabilitate scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who have been illegally residing in Reserved Forest areas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(A) 1 and 2 only 

(B) 2 and 3 only 

(C) 1 and 3 only 

(D) 1, 2, and 3

Correct Answer: (A) 1 and 2 only.

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