18 acres recovered from revenue division to become tree park

The Forest Department is set to convert an 18-acre land in north Bengaluru, recently recovered after being illegally diverted by revenue authorities, into a tree park and bird aviary.

On Wednesday, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre inaugurated the project by planting a sapling, marking the beginning of the transformation of the land into an urban forest. The department is planning to plant 1,800 saplings of local species.

"Bengaluru's growing urban landscape requires more green spaces. A tree park here is essential to make the city more liveable. We also plan to build a bird aviary, turning the area into a weekend getaway and tourist spot in the near future," the minister said.

The department had contested a unilateral order issued in January 2023 by the then Assistant Commissioner MG Shivanna, which declared the 17-acre, 34-gunta land in Kothnur — valued at Rs 500 crore — as government land. The Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner later quashed Shivanna's order, and last month, the land's status as 'forest' was officially restored.

The law states that once a land is declared as forest, any change in its status requires permission from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Forest Department has filed cases against the two senior KAS officers under the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 for the illegal diversion of the land.