In Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, authorities removed more than 40 homes that had been built illegally on Monday. The targeted area was part of a protected forest on Mahamaya Hill. This action affected about 440 people, many believed to have come from Jharkhand. A large number of the homes were built by a Muslim community.
The operation to clear the illegal structures involved a large police force of over 500 officers. They were sent to Mahamaya Hill to carry out the removal. Some residents resisted the authorities, as these were the homes they had built on the protected land. This land was intended to be a preserved forest area, not a residential space.
A forest department official explained that the homes were completely illegal. They also stated that residents had been warned and given time to leave the area. Despite these prior notices, people did not vacate the premises. The recent increase in construction on Mahamaya Hill has been a growing concern for local officials.
These actions highlight the local government’s commitment to protecting forests and tackling illegal occupation of public land. However, the future of the people who were displaced remains uncertain. The plan for how these individuals will be housed has yet to be revealed.