Karnataka forest department recovers 120 acres of encroached land
Bengaluru: In a major anti-encroachment operation, the forest department Monday reclaimed 120 acres of forest land, worth an estimated Rs 4,000 crore, from illegal occupants at Kadugodi plantation in Bengaluru East taluk.
The drive was conducted under tight police security and sources told TOI it followed orders from forest minister Eshwar Khandre. The eviction took place on survey number 1 in Bidarahalli hobli, where encroachments included both agricultural use and illegal structures such as warehouses.
"We obtained all necessary clearances and carried out the eviction from morning till evening. The reclaimed land is worth Rs 4,000 crore," a senior forest official from Bengaluru division said.
To prevent future encroachments, the department has fenced the recovered land and begun planting native tree saplings. The plantation, originally spanning 711 acres and handed over by the Maharaja of Mysore in 1896, has seen significant reductions over time.
Around 450 acres were acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), a portion now mired in legal disputes involving private firms.
"The remaining 250-plus acres were under forest department control, but had been encroached upon. This drive is part of a wider effort to reclaim green spaces around Bengaluru," the official said, adding that the operation will continue for two more days.
Bengaluru Urban forest division has reclaimed 248 acres in the past two years. "We have zero tolerance towards encroachments. With Bengaluru's pollution worsening, we must secure more green spaces," Khandre said. The total value of forest land reclaimed since May 2023 is said to exceed Rs 8,000 crore.
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