Taking exception to attempt to convert 1,500 hectares of forest land into revenue land by annulling a government notification on reserve forest land in Tumakuru district, reportedly in violation of a Supreme Court verdict, S.R. Hiremath, president, Samaj Parivatana Samudaya, has urged the State government to act immediately and annul the order and also take action against senior official involved in the matter.
Addressing presspersons here recently, Mr. Hiremath said that the then Additional Chief Secretary Madangopal on December 21, 2015, had passed an order annulling a government notification on reserve forest land, which violated the Supreme Court order dated December 12, 1996, pertaining to Interlocutory Application (IA) No. 212 in Writ Petition No. 562/2009.
Mr. Hiremath said the apex court had clearly stated that once a notification was issued under Section 4 of Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, it could not changed. However, Mr. Madangopal, in his capacity as Appellate Authority and Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, had declared the government notification No. AHFF 205, FAF 88, dated August 9, 1994, as ‘invalid’ and also set aside the corrigendum No. FEE 188 FAF 2014, dated September 4, 2014.
The government notification dated August 4, 1994, pertains to declaring 323.88 hectares in survey nos. 41, 42, 43 of Janeeru village of Chaiknayakanahalli taluk of Tumakuru district as ‘reserve forest’. The corrigendum dated September 4, 2014, pertains to replacing Janeeru village with Hosahalli, Gollarahalli, Honnebagi, Bullenahalli, Manchikatte, Bagganahalli and Sondenahalli with details of the survey numbers of the land declared as reserve forest.
Referring to the letter written by Amarnatha Shetty, Member Secretary, Central Empowered Committee (CEC), constituted by the Supreme Court of India to Chief Secretary of Karnataka, Mr. Hiremath said the CEC had mentioned that the Regional Office of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had termed the order passed by the Additional Chief Secretary as ‘illegal and untenable’.
“The CEC has also said the corrigendum dated 4.9.2014 to section 4 of notification dated 4.8.1994 under Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, was issued pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court dated 1.9.2014 in I.A. No. 212 in W.P. (C) No. 562 of 2009,” he said.
Mr. Hiremath said that since it was a clear attempt to convert forest land into revenue land, action should be initiated against Mr. Madangopal, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take steps to annul the order passed by Mr. Madangopal to protect the forest land.