BENGALURU: Clearing encroachments is part of regular work for the forest department, and is a slow process. It can be a particularly painstaking exercise if politicians and influential people are involved, say officials.
According to a report on forest land encroachment, prepared by the forest department, and dated April 30, 2021, of the 1,12,346.78 acres of encroached land, 3,621.002 acres has been vacated and 1,08,725.78 acres are pending.
Of the 83,323 cases filed, 2,034 cases are cleared and 81,289 cases are pending, and are related to land measuring less than three acres. In case of plots measuring over three acres, the department had listed 23,053 cases on encroachments spread across 88,479.02 acres of which 19,737 cases are pending for 69,272.15 acres. Also, 3,289 cases are pending pertaining to 19,207 acres of land.
"In total, of the identified 2.20 lakh acres of encroachment identified by the forest department in 2012 of the over one crore acres of forest land with the department, the area still encroached is 1,77,997.93 acres. Most of the encroached area is in Shivamogga circle.The most problems faced in clearing encroachments is in this region, followed by Madikeri," a senior forest department official seeking anonymity said.
In 2012, on High Court directions, the forest department prepared a report and submitted it showing the area of encroachment.