Assam's drive against forest encroachment was meant to be a token of its earnestness to execute the Supreme Court's February directive. Because a government shorn of political resolve can lest be expected to achieve anything of lasting consequence. The union ministry for environment and forests set September as the deadline and the drive started in May but within five weeks and after 13000 families were evicted, it was abruptly suspended, the monsoon cited as the spoke in the wheel. (Editorial)