Joint Survey Where Forest and Revenue Land Fall Under Same Survey Number, Forest Land Cannot Be Regularised: Eshwar Khandre

Bengaluru: Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has clarified in the Legislative Council that no forest land can be granted or regularised after it has been notified as Reserved Forest, Deemed Forest, or following the issuance of a Section 4 notification.

Responding to a question raised by Kishore Kumar Puttur during the Question Hour, the Minister stated that applications have been submitted under the Akrama-Sakrama scheme in Forms 50, 53 and 57 seeking land regularisation. However, he made it clear that only revenue land can be considered for grant, and forest land cannot be regularised under any circumstances.

Khandre further informed the House that in cases where both forest and revenue land fall under the same survey number, instructions have been issued to Deputy Commissioners to conduct joint surveys. He said both the Revenue Minister and he have directed district authorities to undertake joint measurement and demarcation. He added that there is no shortage of staff in the Forest Department for survey work and that boundary demarcation will be completed within a stipulated timeframe.

The Minister also revealed that across the state, eviction of encroachments is pending in 1,20,491 cases covering 2,21,263 acres of forest land. Forest offence cases are being registered against encroachers as part of enforcement measures.

To detect forest encroachments, a satellite-based monitoring mechanism known as the Forest Cover Change Alert System has been implemented. The system provides technical evidence of encroachments and sends alerts to the concerned forest ranges for prompt action, Khandre added.