BENGALURU, 18 MAY

Acting on the directives of Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, forest officials on Sunday cleared encroachments on 27 acres of forest land in Madab village, Baguruhobli of in Hassan district.

The forest land, classified as a reserve forest and valued between ₹10-15 crore, had been illegally encroached upon. The encroachers had illegally cut down trees, attempting to convert the forest into a plantation. 

A team of officials led by chief forest conservation officer, Ealukondal and deputy forest conservation officer, Saurabh removed the encroachments using machines.

A case has also been registered against the encroachers. After removing the encroachments, the team also planted saplings, and erected a board warning the public against encroachment. 

For the past 20 years, 12 individuals had been illegally encroaching the forest land under the pretext of cultivating ginger. They produced fake documents to gain control over the land. They would fell valuable trees to set up coffee, coconut and areca nut plantations. Some revenue department officials had also illegally approved them. 

Chief conservator of forests Yedukondalu said that the department had issued notices to the encroachers multiple times to leave the land.

An FIR was also filed against them in 2008. The Forest Department also took action under Section 64A of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963.

The Forest Department, after removing the illegal encroachments, will take adequate measures to restore the forest land to its natural state.