Forest department recovers 5.5 acres of land illegally encroached by BDA

In a quick operation on Sunday evening, forest officials recovered 5 acres 20 guntas of reserved forest land in Badamanavarte Kaval (BM Kaval) encroached upon by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). 

Curiously, the BDA’s land acquisition notification does not mention the 5-acre, 20-gunta land in BM Kaval survey number 92. The forest land near the BBMP garbage segregation unit in Lingadheeranahalli has been renamed as Banashankari 6th Stage and allotted to several individuals.

Foresters removed the encroachments, including the foundation laid for the construction of a house. Officials, however, were yet to take a decision on removing a road built on the encroached land.

"It was a reserved forest area. The deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Bengaluru Urban, led the drive," said Lingaraja SS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Circle.

An official said the 5.5-acre land was part of the main forest. "Since the survey number of the forest land was not in the notification, officials did not inspect the area at the time of layout formation. Later, when it came to light, officers did not take a decision to recover the land," an official said.

A field officer said the illegal encroachment not only destroyed the forest, but had also caused dramatic changes in the land use. "Within the encroached area, a part of a hill has been cut down to form several sites. Some of these actions will have long-standing effects not only on the environment and wildlife, but also on people living in nearby areas," he said.

Indeed, the forest department had raised the issue of encroachment with the BDA. In reply, BDA Commissioner Kumar Naik gave details of the land acquired by the authority to form the layout and acknowledged the sale of 1,157 sites and allotment of two CA sites.

Noting that the sites have already been allotted, Naik urged the Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, to ensure people trying to construct houses on their sites are not inconvenienced.

To a question on the encroachment of 5.5 acres, Naik said he was not aware of the matter and promised to “look into it".

The BDA has frequently found itself on the wrong side of the law when it comes to Bengaluru’s forests.

In 2007, AM Annaiah, the then Bengaluru Urban DCF, had noted that the BDA had encroached 41 acres 15 guntas in Uttarahalli and Turahalli forests to create a layout, and ordered its recovery.

"Even today, steps have not been taken to recover the full extent of the encroachment. Forest officials have been on the backfoot when it comes to recovering encroachment from agencies like the BDA," a source in the department said.

To a question, N Ravindrakumar, Bengaluru Urban DCF, said the department will take action as per the rules.