BENGALURU: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has asked the Karnataka government to provide details on the alleged reduction of deemed forests in the southern state.
The letter, dated February 6, 2024, signed by Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Central) Praneetha Paul, was sent to the additional chief secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology department.
The letter, a copy of which is with TNIE, states that the office had received a representation alleging that the Karnataka government had de-notified deemed forest land measuring 6,64,694.18 hectares from 9,94,881.11 hectares, without prior permission under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
The authorities are requested to examine the issue, including the status of affidavits filed before the Supreme Court, and land that was marked for non-forest use, the letter reads. The ministry also sought a report from the state at the earliest.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Brijesh Kumar Dikshit said that in August 2022, a report was submitted before the Supreme Court, detailing areas with survey numbers of the extent of deemed forest and areas that were removed. According to it, the deemed forest in Karnataka is 3,30,186.93 hectares.
“If there was anything wrong, the apex court would have raised objections. However, the ministry has sought details, which will be submitted,” he said.
Dikshit said the areas were removed based on the criteria listed by courts and the ministry on what qualifies as a deemed forest, including that land should be free from litigation, have no ownership or transfer, should not be a forest patch, area has less than 50 trees per hectare and many others.
There were also cases (measuring 43,357.50 hectares) where government land was not available in the survey numbers. A committee was also formed to assess the deemed forests and 7,73,326.91 hectares were not included in the deemed forest list. Nothing was done secretively, he added.
An environment department official said this does not mean the status of deemed forests can or will be, changed.
“We can make additions or deletions to the existing list of areas identified as deemed forest, after submitting an interim application to the Supreme Court. The government can take part of the deemed forest, only after seeking clearance from the Central government under the Forest Clearance Act. Under no circumstances will there be a reduction in the area identified as deemed forests,” the official added.