Suryaa National Desk: Surya National & Regional Bureau, Guwahati: On the encroachment removal measures taken by the state government in several protected forest areas including Lutumari Reserve Forest in Assam... Surya National & Regional Bureau, Guwahati: The government of Assam has strongly denied the allegations made by the opposition leader of Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on the removal of encroachments by the state government in several protected forest areas including the Lutumari Reserve Forest in Assam. Assam Forest Minister Jayantha Mallabarua responded to this issue and clarified that the comments made by the political leader of the neighboring country are completely baseless and full of false propaganda. He concluded that all forest land restoration activities are being carried out transparently in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines and legal provisions.
Forest Minister Jayantha Mallabarua refuted the allegations: The minister expressed strong objection to Bangladesh leader Shafiqur Rahman's criticism that the demolitions carried out in Lutumari Reserve Forest area under Nagaon, Hojai and Golaghat districts were being targeted and minorities were being harassed. Leaders of other countries have no right to interfere in Assam's internal and environmental affairs. It is stated that these steps are taken to maintain the ecological balance in accordance with the laws of India. Supreme Court Verdicts – Evictions in a legal manner: The Minister reminded that the Supreme Court has also upheld the measures taken by the government to free the reserve forest lands in Assam from encroachment. He clarified that the machinery removed the encroachments only after issuing notices as per the clear orders given by the Supreme Court and the forest conservation laws and giving the legal deadline.
He said that the government is working with the sole objective of protecting protected forest lands without any religious discrimination. Conservation of forest lands is the aim: The state government has revealed that the encroachment of hundreds of hectares of forest lands within the reserve forest has been severely damaging the local ecosystems. The government of Assam has made it clear that in the latest operations around 314 hectares of forest land has been acquired and that the process of forest encroachment removal will be strictly continued in the future.