Karnataka: Forest Department To Recover Land In Bengaluru Worth Rs 10,000 Crore

Karnataka Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Kre has instructed the forest department to reclaim acres of forest land in Bengaluru's Peenya and Jalahalli. This land, valued at over Rs 10,000 crore, was originally notified in the gazette in 1896.

Illegal Transfers and Recovery Efforts

Over time, a significant portion of this land was illegally transferred by Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) to various entities. Of the total 599 acres, HMT received 469.32 acres, with 281 acres remaining vacant. The minister has directed the forest department to first recover the vacant land before taking legal steps to reclaim the rest.

In a note issued by Khandre, it was highlighted that although proceedings were initiated under section 64(a) of the Karnataka Forest Act for unauthorised possession of reserved forest land, authorities have not taken action. The minister has ordered an inquiry into this inaction.

Denotification Issues and Legal Proceedings

Before any forest land can be sanctioned for other uses, it must be denotified and a gazette notification issued. However, despite claims that the Bengaluru district administration handed over the land to HMT in 1963, no such gazette notification exists. The land remains undenotified for other purposes.

Khandre noted that HMT sold 201 acres of this land, prompting proceedings against the industrial unit. Interestingly, HMT has not appealed these proceedings. This raises questions about the legality of these transactions.

Supreme Court Application Controversy

The minister also revealed that forest department officials filed an interlocutory application in the Supreme Court to denotify portions of sold land without informing the state cabinet. This move has led to several doubts about their intentions.

Khandre has instructed senior officials to withdraw this application and conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

The recovery of this valuable forest land is crucial for preserving Bengaluru's green cover and ensuring legal compliance with forest regulations.