Field survey on reserve forest land to begin on October 15

In May 2025, the Apex Court ordered all states and union territories to establish Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to determine whether forest land held by the Revenue Department had been allotted for non-forestry purposes

Acting on directives from the Supreme Court, the Pune Forest Department will launch a field survey on October 15 to identify reserved forest land currently in the possession of the Revenue Department. The survey is expected to be completed by November 15, a forest official said.

The entire process is to be completed within a year, after which the land must be used exclusively for afforestation. (HT)

In May 2025, the Apex Court ordered all states and union territories to establish Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to determine whether forest land held by the Revenue Department had been allotted for non-forestry purposes. The Court directed that such land either be returned to the Forest Department or, if restoration is not feasible, that compensation be collected and used for forest development. The entire process is to be completed within a year, after which the land must be used exclusively for afforestation.

To implement the order, the Maharashtra government issued a notification on September 5, creating a three-tier framework. A state-level steering committee, chaired by the chief secretary and comprising senior officials from the Forest and Revenue departments, will oversee implementation. An evaluation committee, headed by the principal chief conservator of forests (Nagpur), will review district-level reports and recommend further action.

At the district level, SITs led by district collectors and including divisional forest officers and Superintendents of Land Records will identify forest land under the control of the Revenue Department and verify allotments made for non-forest use. Originally tasked with submitting reports by October 31, these teams have now been granted an extension until November 15.

Mahadev Mohite, deputy conservator of forests, Pune, said, “Our assessment so far has found that at least 14,000 hectares of reserved forest land in Pune district are currently under Revenue Department possession. During the field survey, we will visit these locations to assess their current status and condition. A detailed report will then be submitted to the evaluation committee.”

He added that the land transfer process is both time-consuming and technically challenging. “In some cases, land initially allotted to one individual is now occupied by others. In other cases, land granted for agriculture is being used for unrelated activities.”