BENGALURU: With the state government dragging its feet on forest encroachments in Chikkamagaluru district, wildlife activists call for a complete and immediate eviction of all ‘illegal revenue grants’ made after the notification (1944) of Masgali Reserve Forests. As per the Supreme Court orders, all 276 encroachers — big or small — have to be evicted as ‘revenue grants’ made in forest lands have no legal status.
As the deadline for clearances and demarcation of encroached forest areas being end of December, the government is running out of time. Presently, 390 acres of revenue grants, made between 1944 and 2004, hang in balance even after the former deputy conservator of forests of Chikkamagaluru surveyed and identified these grants and recommended that they should be considered illegal.
In a report submitted to the state government (a copy of which is available with Express), the former DCF had given a complete break-up of grantee details. In fact, grants have been made in the seven villages of Shirvase, Byaravalli, Bhagmane, Shiraguru, Masagali, Karaguru and Beranagodu — all in Muthodi Range.
As per the document, between 1944 and 1978, if 11 grantees got 272.77 acres after 1978, 10 grantees got 117.30 acres. The revenue grantees are a group of 20 encroachers who are politically powerful and influential, said wildlife activists. Activists and environmental groups from the district urged the state government saying, “Let the SC order be followed completely as far as revenue grantees are concerned. Officials should concentrate on clearance of all identified illegal revenue grants immediately and meet the deadline. Once all the encroached area is cleared, it should match the area as per the original notification of the reserve forest in 1944.” A senior official told Express that all efforts are on to follow the orders. Matters are delayed as it is an issue pending for last 18 years.
Meanwhile, 211 small and marginal farmers identified as ‘pure encroachers’, who had encroached 374 acres in Masagali, are on a warpath as they are facing eviction. These farmers have submitted a memorandum to the district SP saying they would begin an agitation if the government made selective evictions targeting only poor farmers.