Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday directed officials to remove the encroachment on nearly 2 lakh acres of forestland in Karnataka and prioritise removal of large-scale encroachments.
“Despite various legislations, about 2 lakh acres of forestland has been encroached. There is a need to remove big encroachments on forestland around Bengaluru city and forestland near other cities. Already ₹400 crore worth of forestland that was encroached near Kothanur has been taken back, and criminal cases have been filed against revenue officials who had converted the land,” he told presspersons here after holding discussions with senior forest officials. He said that while the population of wild animals is increasing, forest area is not increasing resulting in man-animal conflicts.
He said that under the Forest Act, 1980, those applications that were submitted within the prescribed deadline for regularisation of encroachment of forestland had to be disposed off, and that there are 13,155 cases pertaining to 31,684 acres of which patta can be given for about 7,000 acres. Directions have been given to clear the remaining applications, he said, adding that officials have been asked not to inconvenience those who hvae built homes or cultivating in less than 3 acre area.
Govt. may provide three-month window to return wildlife trophies
The State government is contemplating providing a three-month window to return wildlife trophies such as deer horn, tiger claw, jewellery made out of elephant hair and others to the government.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said that the window for the people to declare and keep them is over decades back, and that there are views that it can only be returned to the government. “In this background, discussions are on with law department. A three-month deadline for a last time will be given to the public to return it to the government. A prompt effort would be made to find a solution,” he said. Sources said that opportunity has been given thrice in the past for the people to declare and keep trophies. In recent changes to legislation, keeping wildlife items has been made an offence, sources said.
