Activist questions legality of Rana George's property in Nugu sanctuary

Bengaluru: Days after the High Court ruled that youth Congress leader Rana George, son of Energy Minister K J George, should be allowed to access his property inside the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary, activists pointed to official documents and demanded the Forest Department to recover the property from his “illegal” possession.

Wildlife activist Joseph Hoover said official documents raise questions over the legalities of Rana’s property, sandwiched between the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nugu dam backwaters in Saragur
taluk.

“Rana had claimed to have bought the property from a grantee. Though the revenue department had cancelled the grant, Rana had used political clout to build his ranch in the restricted area,” he said.

Hoover referred to a letter written by the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Hediyala Subdivision. The ACF stated that a joint survey was ordered by the Tahsildar of Saragur Taluk. During the survey officers found that survey numbers 1, 2, 3 and 26 of Shambhugoudanahalli and survey numbers 32 and 33 belong to the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary.

He also attached the orders by the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner dating back to June 1990. The order cancelled the tilling rights in the land attached to the Nugu reservoir.

Hoover said the Assistant Conservator of Forests Hediyala division had on April 22, 2025 written to revenue authorities drawing their attention to the cancellation of the grant.

“It would be imperative of the government to recover the disputed forest land from Rana George,” he said.