NGT notice to Centre, Karnataka govt after encroached land allotted for compensatory afforestation in Belagavi

New Delhi: The NGT has issued notice to Centre and Karnataka governments over the incident of encroached land allotted to compensatory afforestation programme in Belagavi district.

The Principal Bench of the NGT headed by its chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava took suo-motu cognisance of the media report and sought reply from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Karnataka Forest Department.

The NGT order quoting media report said that the Karnataka Forest Department diverted 575.0749 hectares of forest land in Gokak, Godachinamalki, Konnur, and Mavanura villages in Gokak and Hukkeri Taluks, Belagavi, for the construction of a dam across the Markandeya river and ancillary infrastructure. The dam proposed to store six tmc feet of water under the Ghatti-Basavan Drinking Water Supply project.

However, the site inspection report by the regional officer, Union Ministry of Environment showed that nearly 100 hectares of the land offered to the compensatory afforestation programme were under encroachment, the media report.

According to the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, compensatory afforestation has to be carried out for any diversion of forest land, including for non forestry purposes. The media reports claimed that this highlights the lackadaisical attitude of the forest department, the NGT order said.

The Forest Department should have conducted a ground check before allocating the land for compensatory afforestation. It is the responsibility of the forest department to check on the ground whether the land being allocated is free from encroachment. The department needs to certify this before sending the application to the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment. This goes to show the rules are not being followed.

The above matter indicates violation of the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. 5. The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance of the environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment, the NGT said.

The Principal Bench transferred the matter to its Southern Bench for further hearing and posted for September 11 for next hearing.