Actor Ganesh's land in Gundlupet: HC asks forest department not to take coercive action

The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the forest department not to take any coercive action against Sandalwood actor Ganesh in respect of the notice issued to him on August 14, 2023 for alleged construction activities in the land at Jakkalli village, Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district. Justice Krishna S Dixit has directed the actor to respond in a week to the notice issued by the forest department and in turn the department to consider the reply within four weeks time thereafter.

The land in question is allegedly in the vicinity of Bandipur Tiger Sanctuary, a declared Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ). The forest department has stated in the notice that the jurisdictional Range Forest Officer (RFO) noticed that the actor has violated the conditions imposed in Bandipur ESZ committee meeting deliberations. It was further stated that the actor has also violated his own undertaking submitted on March 15, 2023 and used earth moving equipment for leveling the ground in order to take up construction works at the 1.24 acre of land. According to the department, the permission was granted only for the construction of a compound and temporary structures for the purpose of horticulture.

In his petition challenging the notice, Ganesh has stated that he had purchased the land in January 2022 and already put up barbed wire fencing around the land after the permission was granted by Regional Commissioner and Chairman of Bandipur Eco Sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee on March 15, 2023 for the construction of a temporary house. According to the actor, an earth moving machine was used to dig ponds so as to plant 19 year old trees as well as some medicinal plants.

The petition stated that the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment and Ecology does not prohibit construction of residential building and said the notice issued based on a complaint by some media persons is contrary to the settled position of law.