Bengaluru: Legal opinion sought to resolve dispute over 120 acres of Kadugodi forest

Bengaluru: The Revenue Department on Tuesday advised two state government departments staking claim over 120 acres of land in the Kadugodi plantation area to obtain a legal opinion to resolve the dispute.

Last year, the Forest Department announced that it had cleared encroachments on 120 acres of forest land in the Kadugodi plantation. Subsequently, more than 30 petitions were filed before the High Court of Karnataka challenging the action. The forest minister has since maintained that the land is classified as forest and will be retained as such to serve as a lung space for east Bengaluru.

However, last month, the Commerce and Industries Department wrote to the Revenue Department, stating that the land had been acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) for development of an industrial park, though physical possession was yet to be handed over. The Forest Department, on the other hand, has reiterated that the land continues to be forest land.

On Tuesday, Revenue Department Additional Chief Secretary Rajender Kumar Kataria chaired a meeting during which both departments presented documents supporting their respective claims.

“Considering that both parties are government departments, it was decided to seek a legal opinion on the matter. The Forest Department informed the meeting that it has already sought legal advice,” Kataria told DH.