Regularisation of land: Greens flay Kagodu's decision

Wildlife conservation activists D V Girish and G Veeresh have taken exception to the recent statement of Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa on regularisation of land and have called it ‘an unscientific decision’.

In a press release, they have stated the Supreme Court has directed the authorities concerned to clear all encroachments and more than 14,000 such cases have been reported in Chikkamgaluru and Koppa divisions in the district. But the order remains to be implemented in toto, they claimed.

They said the move would further encourage those who have encroached upon forest land in the name of cultivation. It is nothing, but a political move which would eventually put the mankind in a fix, they expressed concern.

Vested interests have been preparing to lay their hands on forest in the name of Bagair Hukum cultivation. It is already evident with most of the people encroaching upon the land at Huliyaruhalli, Karadihalli Kaval and its surroundings, Churchegudda, Indavara and Matthavara reserved forest area coming under Chikkamagaluru range. Most of them have destructed the forest and have levelled the land only to carry on agriculture activities, they claimed.

They said the situation is similar at Masagali reserve forest, Gangegiri reserve forest and Shiravase and Bogase forest areas coming under Mutthodi regional range under Chikkamagaluru division. Apart from cutting down the forest trees, saplings of silver oak tree and others are being planted, they charged.

Private surveyors are being deployed for surveying the forest land and encroach upon it in a systematic manner. It is going on unabated at  Balehonnur in Koppa division and reserve forests coming under Narasimharajapura division. These forests are attached to Bhadra National Park and it might prove dangerous to wildlife habitats, they expressed apprehensions.

The wildlife conservation activists said the government has a lesson to be learnt from the ongoing Cauvery water dispute which has triggered unrest on a large scale, besides resulting in losses of crores of rupees in the state. With increasing greediness of people, thick vegetation on the shore of rivers are also being denuded, they claimed.

As a result, the forest cover is decreasing, besides lack of seasonal rains and yet authorities concerned are oblivious towards the issue. Political leaders show scant concern in this regard in the interest of politics, rather than dealing with in with statesman-like approach, he said.

Most of the countries across the globe have given a fillip to conservation of forests. They have also taken steps to check carbon dioxide to minimise its impact on the environment, they said.