Dibrugarh: Hundreds of alleged “encroachers” at Dibgoi in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district are left in a quandary after the NF Railway(NFR) carried out an eviction drive in the area.
The NF Railway with the help of police and district administration on Thursday conducted an eviction drive from Bogapani Railway station to Tingrai railway station in Digboi to clear railway land from encroachments.
The people had staged protests against the eviction drive and some people were injured during a clash with police.
Police and paramilitary forces resorted to lathi-charge near Bogapani railway station when alleged encroachers of railway land threw stones at them to prevent the eviction drive.
“So far we have demolished 170 houses which were illegally occupied by encroachers. The people have occupied the railway land for last many years,” Tinsukia Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Prasanta Mishra told Northeast Now.
“Some more houses are there and as per law we will carry out an eviction drive to clear the railway land,” the DRM said.
The NF Railway is carrying out electrification work from Bogapani to Makum, where more than 200 houses and shops were erected.
The Communist Party of India (CPI)’s Tinsukia district committee slammed the government and NF Railway for rendering the people homeless through an eviction drive.
“Railway lands are occupied by many rich people in various parts of the Tinsukia district, particularly in Digboi and Tinsukia LACs. Several people including BJP leaders constructed buildings on the Railway and PWD land but no action has been taken against them,” said Ranjan Chowdhury, secretary of CPI’s Tinsukia District Committee.
Devojit Moran, a local environmental activist said, “Most parts of the Bogapani elephant corridor were encroached upon by the people. Due to the encroachment, the elephant movement was badly affected. Now some parts of the elephant corridor are cleared.”
“Now the people of Gowala patty are taking shelter at forest land. We urged the government to provide permanent settlement to them,” Moran said.