A massive demolition drive carried out at dawn on Sunday in Nainital district&rsquo;s Ramnagar area has left dozens of families homeless after authorities razed 52 houses said to be built illegally on reserve forest land. The operation, conducted in Puchdi village under the Terai West Forest Division, began around 5 a.m. under tight police security.
Forest and district officials say the structures stood on protected land that cannot be owned, sold or occupied. They maintain that notices were issued earlier and that the demolitions targeted only those who failed to establish any legal claim over the land. According to officials, the action forms part of a larger plan to reclaim nearly 200 hectares of forest area where encroachments had reportedly grown over the years.
Residents, however, contest the administration&rsquo;s version. Many say their families have lived there for decades, some claiming to have purchased the land informally years ago. Several people reported that they were detained as the demolitions began, with women alleging they were taken to police stations located up to 30 kilometres away to prevent protest or resistance.
The demolished settlements included both pucca and semi-pucca homes, many belonging to low-income families who say they have nowhere to go. Some residents claimed they had previously obtained temporary court stays on eviction but alleged that the demolitions proceeded regardless.
Officials deny the accusation and insist that only houses without legal protection were removed. They also emphasise that repeated reminders were issued about the land&rsquo;s forest status and the impossibility of regularising the occupation.
Local activists and community groups have criticised the operation, questioning the timing, lack of rehabilitation measures, and the decision to carry out demolitions at daybreak amid heavy police presence. They argue that families who have lived in the area for generations deserve a more humane resettlement process, especially in a region where rural communities depend heavily on informal land arrangements.
As the administration moves forward with its anti-encroachment plan, over a hundred additional households reportedly remain under notice. The future of these families is uncertain, as authorities insist the forest land must be restored while residents continue to demand recognition of long-standing habitation.
The demolition has sparked wider debate in Uttarakhand about forest-land protection, human displacement and the complex legal status of settlements that have grown over decades in ecologically sensitive regions.

Dawn demolition clears forest land in Ramnagar as families claim long-time residence

52 Homes Razed in Nainital Forest Drive

Dawn demolition clears forest land in Ramnagar as families claim long-time residence

December 8, 2025 | 18:15 IST