Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (TP)

Udupi, May 25: Minister of forest, ecology and environment of Karnataka Eshwara B Khandre said the state government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards forest land encroachments and directed officials to remove all encroachments made after 2015.

Speaking during a progress review meeting of the Forest and Environment Department held in Udupi on Monday, May 25, the minister stated that nearly two lac acres of forest land across the state had been encroached upon before 2015. He said the government has decided not to evict families who have encroached upon less than three acres of land for livelihood purposes, including patta land, until alternative arrangements are made for them.

However, minister Eshwara Khandre instructed officials to initiate action against encroachments exceeding three acres and ensure that no fresh encroachments take place.

Minister Eshwara Khandre also directed officials to expedite the process of declaring nearly 2,000 acres as notified forest land where Section 4 procedures have already been completed and Section 17 notification is pending.

Addressing officials from the forest and environment departments of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, the minister said 55 cases involving 6,144.99 hectares in the Mangaluru division are pending declaration under Section 17. He added that steps would be taken to appoint an administrator to speed up the process.

Officials informed the meeting that Udupi district has deemed forest land spread across 1,224 survey numbers, including 400 survey numbers fully classified as deemed forest. Joint surveys have so far been completed in 94 survey numbers out of the remaining 800.

The minister instructed authorities to appoint additional surveyors from both the forest and revenue departments to complete the pending surveys within a fixed timeline and upload the details to the KML system.

Referring to rising incidents of human-wildlife conflict in areas including Puttur, Hebri, Sullia, Uppinangady, Belthangady, Venoor and Karkala, minister Eshwara Khandre directed officials to implement strict preventive measures. He also appreciated the forest department personnel who traced and arrested the accused involved in killing a leopard and severing its legs in the Hennabailu section of Shankaranarayana range.

The minister further instructed officials to take strict action against polluting fish meal factories and regularly monitor river water quality to ensure treatment plants are functioning properly.

Deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K, additional principal chief conservator of forests Manoj Tripathi, chief conservator of Forests Karikalan and Kamala Karikalan, among others, were present at the meeting.