Rs 60-cr worth encroachment bulldozed in Turahalli Reserve Forest

Bengaluru: Over 6.5 acres of encroached land with a market value of Rs 60 crore in the BM Kaval buffer zone of Turahalli Reserve Forest near Kengeri was cleared and seized within 24 hours after Forest Minister Eshwara Khandre strictly instructed to clear encroachment on valuable forest land in Bangalore city limits.

JCB vehicles roared at the BM Kaval after the minister held a meeting on Wednesday about the work plans of the forest department in the new year and instructed the higher officials to clear the encroachment on priority.

A team of more than 20 forest personnel under the leadership of Bangalore City DCF, Ravindrakumar, ACF Suresh and RFO Govindaraj went on a clearance

operation and razed the illegally constructed shed in the area, seized the forest land and restored it by planting various species of trees including bamboo on the border.

About 6.5 acres of land in this forest area was encroached upon by a person named Madhusudanananda Swami and applied for allotment, which was rejected by the forest department as it was a forest land.

The ACF court had issued an order to vacate the encroachment in August 2017 as the encroachers did not have any revenue document, purchase deed, sanction letter, cultivation certificate regarding the forest land. An appeal was filed in the CCF court challenging this. On December 29, Chief Conservator of Forests Lingaraj had given an important order that this land belongs to the Forest Department.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre directed to clear the valuable forest land around Bengaluru on priority basis if it is under pressure, on Wednesday an operation was conducted and it was seized. Five cases have already been registered against Madhusudanananda Swamy who has encroached on forest land.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said, “Land around Bangalore is worth like gold. Some people spend crores of rupees for selfishness. Valuable forest land has been encroached upon.

It is the duty of the department to save nature, environment, forest and forest resources and clear instructions have been given to clear encroachment in cases where orders have been issued in Bangalore.”