Activists urge action against environment ministry’s Bengaluru regional office for failing to act against Forest Act violations

An activist, seeking anonymity, called it a serious issue. “It is a clear case of dereliction of duty, and officials of the regional office must be held responsible and accountable as there are plenty of Forest Conservation Act violations which it is well aware of and is on record.”

“In most cases, other than seeking factual reports from the state government, the regional office is not doing anything. The regional office does not initiate any action when factual status reports are not submitted in a time-bound manner.

In many forest conservation violation cases in Karnataka, forest officials have retired, and now action cannot be initiated against them. User agencies and officials of other line departments who were responsible for the violations are roaming free,” the activist said, adding that a detailed complaint will be submitted to the prime minister seeking a high-level probe.

Cases of violations

On January 9 this year, the regional office of the MoEF&CC sought a detailed factual report on the diversion of 0.0965 ha of forest land in survey number 55 Kundaragi village, Bagalkote district, for the establishment of a petrol bunk from the Karnataka government.

Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Central) MK Shambhu wrote to the office of the additional chief secretary (forest, ecology and environment), Karnataka, stating that though the deputy conservator of forest, in this case, said that no violations of Forest Conservation Act took place, satellite imagery shows that the forest land had already been utilised without prior approvals.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change sought a detailed report from the Karnataka government on road construction after diverting 0.0768 hectares of forest land at the Sirsi taluk in the Uttara Kannada district.

The road was allegedly constructed for a private individual, Preetam Prakash Palankar, without waiting for the ministry’s nod. In November, the state government approved the diversion of forest land and sent the application to the ministry for its approval.

In a letter dated November 22 to Jawaid Akhtar, additional chief secretary (forest, ecology and environment), the ministry stated that it examined the state government’s proposal and observed that the proposed road had already been in existence. It rejected the proposal for the diversion of forest land to pave the way for road construction.