Forest department reclaims 5.2 acres of forest land ‘illegally’ occupied by BDA

Karnataka Forest Department reclaimed 5.20 acres of forest land at survey number 92 of BM Kaval Reserve forest, where it said the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had “illegally” sold sites for housing.

In the Monday operation led by the Bengaluru Urban deputy conservator of Forest, N Ravindra Kumar, foresters removed the foundation laid for the construction of a house.

According to a letter sent to the Additional Chief Secretary (forest, ecology and environment), Jawaid Akhtar in August, BDA commissioner Kumar Naik said that over 1,157 sites around the forest area have been sold.

Naik mentioned that the forest department was obstructing the construction of the houses. He requested Akhtar to ensure that people who are trying to build houses on these sites should not be inconvenienced. Most of these sites were sold in the year 2003-04. A road is also constructed in the buffer zone of the reserve forest. The letter also mentioned that the forest department had raised the issue of encroachment with the BDA.