Gauhati High Court orders Assam Forest Department to submit report on Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary borders

The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam Forest Department to submit a report within the next eight weeks on the demarcation of the borders of the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary in Guwahati. According to sources, the high court ordered the forest department to clearly state the boundaries in its report.

The high court had filed a case regarding the matter in 2013, where the forest department was directed to submit a map of the sanctuary's boundaries. As per official data, the Survey of India is currently working on demarcating the four boundaries of the sanctuary.

This development comes in the wake of a massive anti-encroachment drive carried out by the district administration in Assam's Nagaon and Sonitpur last month. The drive was aimed at freeing nearly 1,892 hectares of land from illegal occupation in the Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary.

The district administration of Sonitpur and Nagaon has issued notices to illegal occupants to vacate the lands. Heavy security was deployed during the eviction drive to avoid any untoward incidents.