<p class="title">The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Principal Secretary of Forest Department to appear in person on February 8, 2022, for non-compliance of the directions regarding removal of encroachments from Amrit Mahal Kaval grasslands, considered as a conservation reserve. </p>.<p class="bodytext">A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi has also directed the Deputy Director of Amrit Mahal Cattle Breeding Centre, Department of Animal Husbandry to appear.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court was hearing a PIL filed in 2016 by Wildlife Conservation Action Team and three others. The court noted that in the order dated March 5, 2020, it was recorded in detail regarding the alleged encroachment of the conservation reserve land.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court had directed the Principal Secretary to Forest Department to look into as to whether Special Task Force constituted as per order in 2018 is functioning. The Principal Secretary was directed to file the affidavit and time was granted till March 31 2020.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The bench observed that thereafter the respondents kept on taking time to file the compliance affidavit. “From the perusal compliance affidavit filed on November 26, 2021, we are not at all satisfied with respect to the steps taken for removal of the alleged encroachments.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Here it is to be noted that in the meeting dated August 11, 2021, which was held under the chairmanship of Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, it was found that in Chikkamagaluru district, 4,266 acres of land was encroached. Whereas, in the compliance affidavit an effort has been made to give the impression to the court that there was no encroachment in Chikkamagaluru district,” the bench said.</p>
<p class="title">The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Principal Secretary of Forest Department to appear in person on February 8, 2022, for non-compliance of the directions regarding removal of encroachments from Amrit Mahal Kaval grasslands, considered as a conservation reserve. </p>.<p class="bodytext">A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi has also directed the Deputy Director of Amrit Mahal Cattle Breeding Centre, Department of Animal Husbandry to appear.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court was hearing a PIL filed in 2016 by Wildlife Conservation Action Team and three others. The court noted that in the order dated March 5, 2020, it was recorded in detail regarding the alleged encroachment of the conservation reserve land.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court had directed the Principal Secretary to Forest Department to look into as to whether Special Task Force constituted as per order in 2018 is functioning. The Principal Secretary was directed to file the affidavit and time was granted till March 31 2020.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The bench observed that thereafter the respondents kept on taking time to file the compliance affidavit. “From the perusal compliance affidavit filed on November 26, 2021, we are not at all satisfied with respect to the steps taken for removal of the alleged encroachments.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Here it is to be noted that in the meeting dated August 11, 2021, which was held under the chairmanship of Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, it was found that in Chikkamagaluru district, 4,266 acres of land was encroached. Whereas, in the compliance affidavit an effort has been made to give the impression to the court that there was no encroachment in Chikkamagaluru district,” the bench said.</p>
