Since November 27, over 700 families have been rendered homeless in the outskirts of Guwahati after the Assam government carried out an eviction drive – as per a Gauhati high court order – in the area declared an eco-sensitive zone (ECZ) by the environment ministry around the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. The area was declared an eco-sensitive zone by the environment ministry in June.
Amchang, situated in the state’s Kamrup district, was declared a wildlife sanctuary by the state government in 2004 by putting together the Amchang reserve forest, South Amchang forest reserve and Khanapara reserve forest.
The area which has seen the eviction drive for three days in a row was declared an ECZ this past June by an expert committee set up by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
School children were seen attending classes in the open after their schools were demolished during the eviction drive.
As per latest information coming from Guwahati, the high court has ordered a stay to the eviction drive after the state government submitted a prayer before it to treat the matter with a humanitarian view.
Pic source: G Plus
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