Guwahati, June 11 (UNI) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday asserted that his government has launched decisive measures to stop the decades-long encroachment on Satra lands — monastic institutions that uphold the teachings of 16th-century saint and reformer Srimanta Sankaradeva.
“The soul of Assam lives in our Satras — the flagbearers and protectors of our tradition. Over decades, they have been subjected to unchecked encroachment but this stops now,” the Chief Minister declared in a post on X. “Our government has taken decisive steps to defend their sanctity.”
The statement comes in the wake of a report by a government-appointed commission, which found that over 1,898 hectares of land across 303 satras in 11 districts have been illegally occupied. Among the worst-hit districts are Barpeta, Nagaon, and Dhubri. In Barpeta alone, over 2,000 bighas are under unauthorised control.