Forest dept seeks legal view on booking 'VIP' encroachers

The Forest Department has sought legal opinion on booking Forest Offence Cases (FOC) against three encroachers of forest land in Koppa division, Chikkamagaluru circle.

A report of the Forest Department report had mentioned that 57 persons had encroached upon forest land in the Koppa division and FOCs were registered against certain encroachers.
Initially, the department had not registered FOCs against 14 of the 57 encroachers.

Taking note of a report published in DH, “How forest dept treated 'VIP' encroachers with kid gloves”, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Vigilance) had directed the Chief Conservator of Forests, Chikkamagaluru circle to submit a report as to why FOCs were not registered against certain encroachers.

FOCs registered

The Chief Conservator of Forests of Chikkamagaluru circle submitted a report that in 14 cases of encroachment of 1088.37 acres, FOCs have been registered against all but three.

“In cases of encroachment of forest land up to 1088 acres, FOCs have been registered against 11 encroachers. The said encroached land has already been recovered. We need legal opinion to register FOC against three encroachers since the lands have been already recovered,” the report of Assistant Conservator of Forest Koppa division stated.

According to the latest report, the three encroachers are: V G Siddarth Hegde (64.39 acres in Devagodu deemed forest), Shobhana Ranjan (41 acres in Halasuru deemed forest) and Manjunath (106 acres in Gandhaghatta deemed forest). 

Earlier, the high court had directed the Forest Department to submit a periodical action taken report while hearing the public interest litigation filed by Samaja Parivartana Samudaya.

The list prepared by the Forest Department officials, after conducting a fresh survey, confirmed encroachment of 1,446 acres of forest land by 57 individuals and some estates in the division. The report revealed that FOCs were booked against only a few encroachers.