Bangalore, Feb 20 (UNI) Karnataka Lok Ayukta Mr Justice N Santosh Hegde today urged the State Chief Secretary to take immediate steps to restore land encroached in Turahalli forest, adjacent to the city, by private and public servants and the Bangalore Development Authority.
In a letter, a copy of which was released to the media here, he said that according to a report received from Revenue Principal Secretary S M Jaamdar, it was found that 48 acres of land have been occupied by BDA and 75 acres encroached by 43 people who had proposed to sell the encroached land through false and fabricated documents.
Besides, ten acres of land have been encroached by private parties.
He said the land encroached by BDA should be taken back and returned to the Forest Department after cancelling the allotment of sites to different individuals. People indulged in fabrication and forging of papers to register documents, should be prosecuted and departmental proceedings initiated against them.
Mr Justice Hegde said about Rs one crore should be recovered from the BDA for restoring the ecosystem destroyed during the formation of the layout as per a Supreme Court verdict in the Godavarman vs Union of India case.
He suggested that Turahalli Minor Forests, surrounded by Urban Development and Township formed by BDA and private developers, should be protected and the area of about 600 acres along with 520 acres of 'Turahalli State Forest' could be managed as 'Urban Forest or City Forest' by taking up protection and conservation measures for the study of bio-diversity and exsitu and in-situ conservation of endangered species. This could also be used for 'Bird Watching', Taxonomic studies of both fauna and flora by researchers.
Stating that instead of waiting for the statutory report by the Lok Ayukta, he said action may be initiated to recover the encroached land and restore it to the Forest department.
The Lok Ayukta, which had taken suo-motu notice of the issue based on a report telecast in a private channel, had called for a report from Mr Jaamdar and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests S Parameswarappa.
UNI
In a letter, a copy of which was released to the media here, he said that according to a report received from Revenue Principal Secretary S M Jaamdar, it was found that 48 acres of land have been occupied by BDA and 75 acres encroached by 43 people who had proposed to sell the encroached land through false and fabricated documents.
Besides, ten acres of land have been encroached by private parties.
He said the land encroached by BDA should be taken back and returned to the Forest Department after cancelling the allotment of sites to different individuals. People indulged in fabrication and forging of papers to register documents, should be prosecuted and departmental proceedings initiated against them.
Mr Justice Hegde said about Rs one crore should be recovered from the BDA for restoring the ecosystem destroyed during the formation of the layout as per a Supreme Court verdict in the Godavarman vs Union of India case.
He suggested that Turahalli Minor Forests, surrounded by Urban Development and Township formed by BDA and private developers, should be protected and the area of about 600 acres along with 520 acres of 'Turahalli State Forest' could be managed as 'Urban Forest or City Forest' by taking up protection and conservation measures for the study of bio-diversity and exsitu and in-situ conservation of endangered species. This could also be used for 'Bird Watching', Taxonomic studies of both fauna and flora by researchers.
Stating that instead of waiting for the statutory report by the Lok Ayukta, he said action may be initiated to recover the encroached land and restore it to the Forest department.
The Lok Ayukta, which had taken suo-motu notice of the issue based on a report telecast in a private channel, had called for a report from Mr Jaamdar and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests S Parameswarappa.
UNI
Oneindia Login