Karnataka govt did not seek Union ministry’s clearance for tree park at Jarakabande Kaval, reveals RTI

Under the Forest Conservation Act, it is mandatory for a state government to seek the Union environment ministry’s clearance for projects that require diversion of forest lands.

In September 2022, Munirathna had told the Assembly that the work on the tree park at Jarakabande Kaval in Yelahanka will start the moment the state government receives a nod from the Union ministry. “We will utilise 353 acre of land available at Jarakabande Kaval. Since this is forest land, we will require the permission of the Union government,” he had then said.

Responding to an RTI filed by indianexpress.com, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on April 6 said, “No proposal is received by this office under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for the diversion of deemed forest land in Jarakabande Kaval, Bengaluru for the construction of tree park.”

In the background of the government’s proposal to come up with a tree park, the local residents on October 13, 2021 had written a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the forest department, Munirathna and former forest minister Umesh Vishwanath Katti to drop the idea of converting the Jarakabande Kaval reserve forest into a tree park.

Data from the Karnataka Forest department reveals that 2,656.683 acre of forest land in Karnataka has been converted to create tree parks. This includes 1,275.54 acre of reserve forest, 337.07 acre of district forests, 292.24 acre of micro forests 61.77 acre of protected forests 401.69 acre of declared forests among others.

In the last 60 years, over 4,947 acre of reserve forest areas have been diverted for developmental activities in Bangalore North. A huge parcel of these lands went for non-forestry purposes like setting up of universities, defence establishments and industries. More than 10 layouts have come up on forest lands.