<p>Bengaluru: Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Saturday said about 70% of a joint survey to identify deemed forests in Karnataka has been completed and steps would be taken to ensure that the final list was free of errors.</p>.<p>He was speaking after reviewing works in Chikkaballapur division.</p>.<p>Khandre said the deemed forest list notified in 2022, after two rounds of survey, had several errors.</p>.<p>“It contained government buildings and patta (private) land. Forest and revenue authorities are conducting a joint survey. I have directed them to complete the exercise and submit report soon,” he said.</p>.<p>This will be the third revision of deemed forests in Karnataka, taken up after a 1996 direction by the Supreme Court to protect green spaces not notified as forests.</p>.<p>The first report in 2002 estimated deemed forest in Karnataka at 9.94 lakh hectares (24.58 lakh acres). It was revised down to 3.3 lakh hectares (8.15 lakh acres) in May 2022.</p>.<p>The officials had then pointed to duplication, inclusion of private lands and other errors for dip in extent. The errors in new list had prompted the government to seek apex court’s nod for another revision.</p>.<p>Khandre said the department will resolve the issue of encroachments in forests notified under Sec 4 of Karnataka Forests Act, which announces the government’s intention to declare a forest as reserved.</p>.<p>According to law, the rights of occupants must be settled at the time of notification before issuing final notification under Sec 17 to declare the area as a reserved forest.</p>.<p>“Besides resolving confusions on Sec 4 forests, we will remove encroachments that took place after 2015,” he said.</p>.<p>He directed officials in Chikkaballapur to crack down on illegal mining in forests and environment authorities to act against those polluting lakes.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Saturday said about 70% of a joint survey to identify deemed forests in Karnataka has been completed and steps would be taken to ensure that the final list was free of errors.</p>.<p>He was speaking after reviewing works in Chikkaballapur division.</p>.<p>Khandre said the deemed forest list notified in 2022, after two rounds of survey, had several errors.</p>.<p>“It contained government buildings and patta (private) land. Forest and revenue authorities are conducting a joint survey. I have directed them to complete the exercise and submit report soon,” he said.</p>.<p>This will be the third revision of deemed forests in Karnataka, taken up after a 1996 direction by the Supreme Court to protect green spaces not notified as forests.</p>.<p>The first report in 2002 estimated deemed forest in Karnataka at 9.94 lakh hectares (24.58 lakh acres). It was revised down to 3.3 lakh hectares (8.15 lakh acres) in May 2022.</p>.<p>The officials had then pointed to duplication, inclusion of private lands and other errors for dip in extent. The errors in new list had prompted the government to seek apex court’s nod for another revision.</p>.<p>Khandre said the department will resolve the issue of encroachments in forests notified under Sec 4 of Karnataka Forests Act, which announces the government’s intention to declare a forest as reserved.</p>.<p>According to law, the rights of occupants must be settled at the time of notification before issuing final notification under Sec 17 to declare the area as a reserved forest.</p>.<p>“Besides resolving confusions on Sec 4 forests, we will remove encroachments that took place after 2015,” he said.</p>.<p>He directed officials in Chikkaballapur to crack down on illegal mining in forests and environment authorities to act against those polluting lakes.</p>
