BENGALURU: In a novel approach to reduce forest encroachments, the Karnataka forest department, through divisional forest staffers, is approaching banks with a list of places where encroachment cases are high, urging them not to extend loans for construction.
The staffers did this in two recent cases. They wrote to the State Bank of India, Koorigepalli branch, on June 6, with details of encroachers and writ petition numbers, requesting the bank branch manager not to clear the loans for the land in Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar distrit. Forest officials from the Srinivasapura forest zone stated in the letter that the land in Hosahudya village has been declared as part of the Janigalakunte state forest as per the government notification.
“We have earlier tried multiple ways to control encroachment and recover encroached land. But we have failed as people approach courts pleading that they have constructed homes, schools etc and then little or nothing happens as the case prolongs. Now, we are trying this new method of approaching banks,” said a senior forest department official, not wanting to be named.
He said that in cases where the construction has started and bank loans approved, they are looking at other options. “But this method of blocking financial support to encroachers will work. These encroachers start construction activity even though the courts would have directed them to maintain a status quo,” the official said.
All the forest divisions in the state are preparing a list of places where this method can be adopted. “This will be ideal in Bengaluru and surrounding areas where land is heavily priced,” the official added.