Representative image showing a forest.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court has directed a joint survey of the forest land at Jinagalagunte- Hodahudya under Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar district after issuing notice to former minister K R Ramesh Kumar. Vacation judge Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed this order on Tuesday after hearing the petition filed by one KV Shiva Reddy.
The petitioner alleged that about 61.39 acres of forest land has been encroached and that despite the orders passed by the high court, survey has not taken place. According to the petitioner, despite dates having been fixed, the survey could not be carried out as Ramesh Kumar did not participate in the survey.
The court observed that an order was passed by the high court in 2010 and even after 14 years the survey has not been carried out. The court also noted that the composition of the survey team has been changed by the Regional Commissioner which is contrary to and in the teeth of two of the orders passed by the high court.
“The Deputy Commissioner shall pass notice on respondent No 9 (Ramesh Kumar) to be present during the survey to be carried out on January 15, 2025 by some or any other representatives. In the event, respondent No 9 or any other his representatives not being present for the survey, the survey shall go on and respondent No 9 shall not be entitled to claim any equities and challenge the survey on basis of non-participation in the survey in terms of the orders issued by this Court dated December 16, 2010 and July 11, 2013,” Justice Suraj Govindaraj said.
The court said that the survey has to be carried out by the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Deputy Commissioner of the District, Deputy Director of Land Records and such other officers as the aforementioned offers deems fit. The court has directed that the survey report be filed on or before January 30, 2025.