BENGALURU: Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre on Friday directed his officials to recover encroached forest land spread across 22.08 acres at survey no. 48 in in Kothnur.
Pulling up officials for laxity in taking action, he also directed them to file criminal cases against tahsildar Ajit Rai and assistant commissioner NG Shivanna for illegally converting forest land into revenue land. Khandre said land in contention in KR Puram Hobli is worth around Rs 700 crore.
It was set aside by the forest department to take up plantation works in 1999- 2000. While filing documents for registering the land and during survey, it was found that the duo had changed the records showing that it was a revenue land.
“Directions have been issued to recover the land and file criminal cases against the tahsildar and assistant commissioner,” he said.