The Assam government is preparing to launch a fresh eviction drive in the Barak Valley, marking the next phase of its ongoing effort to clear what it describes as illegal occupation of forest land. According to official sources, the operation will begin in the Damshera area under the Gharmura Reserved Forest in Hailakandi district.
After carrying out eviction drives in parts of the Brahmaputra Valley, the focus has now shifted to southern Assam. The district administration, working jointly with the Forest Department, has issued eviction notices to 522 families who are allegedly living inside the reserved forest area. Officials said the eviction process is likely to begin from January 16.
To avoid confusion and sudden panic, the administration has been making repeated announcements in the area. Banners have been put up, and public address systems have been used to inform residents about the eviction plan. People have been asked to vacate the land on their own before the operation starts. 
Unlike the tense scenes witnessed during recent evictions in other parts of Assam, the situation in Damshera has remained largely peaceful so far. Several families have already begun dismantling their homes. Many were seen loading household items onto vehicles and shifting to other places in the past few days.
At the same time, the eviction drive has triggered a fresh debate at the local level. Some of the residents facing eviction have claimed that they have lived in the area for many years. They also argue that their presence helped prevent alleged encroachment from neighbouring Mizoram. According to them, they acted as a protective human barrier for the forest land, a claim that has drawn mixed reactions from locals.
