MANGALURU: In the past one year, the forest department in the state has cleared 13 encroachments within the Kudremukh wildlife division and retrieved about 30 acres of land. These encroachments were identified at different points of time since 2001, and the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) ordered the retrieval of the lands in 2015. After some of the affected parties appealed against the order, the final order for clearance was issued in 2019.
Sources said more than 15 cases of encroachment of forest lands are still pending to be cleared in areas under the Kudremukh wildlife division.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (Kudremukh division) Sivaram Babu M told TNIE that the encroachers had planted areca and coffee on most of the land, and some of them also built structures for staying there. “Mostly, they were all small households doing farming activities. In two other cases, they were running home stays, and the matter is currently sub-judice,” he said.
Babu said the plantations have been removed after the eviction process, and in some places, planting of native trees will be done if necessary.
“Generally, we do not take up any plantation activity inside the national park. Usually, to secure the boundary, we build Cattle Proof Trenches (CPTs) – an excavated ditch preventing fresh encroachments – and place notice boards that it is an evicted property now in the possession of the forest department,” the DCF said.
The forest department relies on satellite imagery of land use pattern change to detect encroachments. The department’s personnel also monitor forest land using the e-Gastu app twice every month. “Our personnel, including beat foresters and forest guards, patrol the boundaries to check for any violation and wildlife protection,” the DCF added.
