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Task force formed to clear encroachers from Western Ghat
Forest minister Ishwar Khandre on Sunday said that the government has formed “Western Ghat Forest Encroachment Clearing Task Force” to remove illegal structures in the Western Ghats and other forested regions.
In response to the recent landslide tragedy in Wayanad, forest minister Ishwar Khandre on Sunday said that the government has formed “Western Ghat Forest Encroachment Clearing Task Force”, which will focus on removing illegal structures in the Western Ghats and other forested regions.
“The forest encroachment clearance operation in the Western Ghats and other Ghats has started from Sunday itself. The task force will work diligently to clear illegal resorts, homestays, and other encroachments in all Ghats, including the Western Ghats, which span ten districts of the state,” Khandre said while emphasising on the urgency of this initiative.
The newly formed task force will operate under the leadership of the principal chief conservator of forests and chief forest task force. “Clear instructions have been given to carry out clearance operations from today in all cases where the 64A process has been completed regarding encroachments in the forests in the Ghat areas after 2015,” the minister told reporters.
The task force have been authorised to investigate encroachment cases and issue orders under section 64A of Karnataka Forest Act, 1963. Besides, officers above the rank of assistant conservator of forests (ACF) have been granted permission to conduct proceedings in their respective zones two days a week to expedite the resolution of pending 64A cases.
“We have directed the task force to take appropriate action in consultation with the advocate general to settle cases already pending in court. It is crucial to first vacate illegal resorts and home stays built on encroached forest land and then address other encroachments, such as plantations and unauthorised buildings,” Khandre said while stressing on the importance of legal consultation in these efforts.
“The law treats everyone equally. Those who illegally occupy the Western Ghats for commercial activities will not be tolerated. The environmental damage caused by these activities is irreversible,” he added.
In addition to eviction efforts, the minister instructed officers to issue notices to road and highway contractors, as well as NHAI engineers, who are responsible for unscientific hill-cutting practices in the Western Ghats.
“In Shirur, Wayanad, and Uttara Kannada, a terrible tragedy has occurred, resulting in the loss of life. The hills, which have stood for thousands of years, have disappeared. Landslides are continuously occurring in the Western Ghats of the state, including Shiradi Ghat and Charmadi Ghat. If we do not wake up now, the next generation will not forgive us,” the minister said.
Virajpet division DCF NH Jagannath said: “We have all records related to forest encroachments ready and currently under process, with a few pending court hearings. “There are 99 encroachment cases in the division to date, all of which are under process.”
