BENGALURU: The Forest Department is racing against time to recover encroached land in reserve forest areas under the Chikkamagaluru territorial division. Based on a Supreme Court’s orders to clear encroachments in reserve forests by December-end, the department has managed to reclaim 430 acres from big encroachers out of the total encroached area of 1,829 acres.
Of the remaining encroached forest land, Deputy Conservator of Forests Chandrannna said 1002 acres are ‘illegal revenue grants’ while another 374 acres have no revenue claims. The state government has to take a decision soon on this as Masagali was notified as a reserve forest in 1944 and the apex court has directed clearance of all encroachments by this year end, he said.Work on clearing encroachments in the Masagali reserve forest area started last month. However, this has resulted in protests with local marginal farmers alleging that the government is carrying out selective clearance.
DCF Chandranna told Express, “Since the issue is sensitive, people are agitated, we have not uprooted coffee plantations. We will soon begin the process of reforestation.”Representatives of 211 families, who are said to have encroached upon a total of 374 acres and are facing eviction, say, “Only small encroachers are being targeted while big encroachers have been left alone. To top it all, their encroachments are being regularized. We own 2-3 acres, built our houses and tilled the land all these years. If the big encroachers with revenue grants are allowed, then why should the government not allow us to stay?” they said.
The DCF clarified, “As per the reserve forest notification and SC order, we have to evict all 276 encroachers, whether big or small. We are not doing any selective clearance, thes211 families can be rehabilitated elsewhere. Whether eligible or not, we have brought their case to the notice of the Revenue Department as 155 people stand to lose land, 29 lose houses while 28 lose both house and land.” Regarding the big encroachers, the DCF added, “They have revenue grants, but this has no legal status. We cannot consider their case as they are illegal grants. I have written to the government that we cannot consider a single case here and should treat them all as illegal grants. Now the government has to take a decision on this. As per SC orders, they are all illegal occupants as revenue authorities cannot grant land in reserve forests. If granted, the Forest Department should take it back.”
Green tracts gone
5,642.14 acres
Total area of Masagali Reserve Forest
1,829.9 acres
Extent of encroachment
276
Total number of encroachers
1,002.35 acres
45 big encroachers with revenue grants
374 acres
land held by 211 small encroachers with no revenue claims