The Forest Department officials seized a popular resort in Sakleshpur taluk on Tuesday and recovered the forest land that the resort owners allegedly encroached upon. The Stone Valley resort was allegedly built encroaching upon 14 acres and 36 guntas of Moorukannu Gudda forest at Achchanahalli in Sakleshpur taluk.
A team of officials led by S.P. Mahadev, ACF of Sakleshpur, and S.L. Shilpa, RFO, conducted the seizure operations as per the directions of Deputy Conservator of Forests Ashish Reddy. The staff of the department from Hassan, Belur, Yeslur, Sakleshpur, and Arkalgud ranges were involved in the seizure.
Subhash Stephen and three others of his family allegedly encroached upon the land, which has been declared a forest under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, and built the resort. Following a complaint by previous Sakleshpur RFO Raghavendra Agase, DCF of Forest Vigilance Squad N. Ravindra Kumar conducted the hearing and issued an eviction order on July 26, 2022. Now, almost a year later, the officials have acted upon the order.
