JOIN USThe eviction drive of the Forest department to clear encroachment of Forest lands hit a roadblock on Tuesday, with residents of Aregallu village, in Arkalgud taluk, along with local MLA A Manju protesting against the move.
Manju said, the farmers were cultivating the said land for the past 55 years and the Forest department was trying to evict them and thus rob them off their livelihood.
Officials had arrived on the spot to clear a total of 481.37 acres of forest land on survey number 151 of the village. Manju criticised the move by the Forest department as unilateral.
“The department wants to clear encroachment of over three acres by farmers. There are some farmers who own little more than three acres and according to the recent government order, all encroachments over three acres should be cleared. The State should relax its stance and should only clear the encroachments, which is beyond the three acre limit,” he said.
Assistant Conservator of Forests, Saklespur division, Ramesh Babu, said, the drive has been put on hold, following a request made by the MLA. A report regarding it will be submitted to higher officials, he added.