Along with a demand for additional funds, the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment has sent a proposal to the chief minister asking for the forest cell in the BBMP to be handed over to the Forest Department.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Forest Minister R. Shankar said they have submitted a proposal for an additional ₹560 crore, apart from the ₹1,700 crore announced in the March budget. “We have also given a proposal to take back the forest cell from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP),” he said.
The cell, which is responsible supervising tree cutting as well as afforestatation programmes, is staffed by Forest Department personnel on deputation. The working of the cell has been in controversies ranging from long-pending bills and shoddy afforestation practices to local political pressure to cut trees.
In 2015, the entire Forest Cell of 11 personnel wrote to the Forest Department seeking repatriation as they could not work under political pressure. Earlier last year, pressure saw a Deputy Conservator of Forests being booted out of the cell.
Mr. Shankar said they have even sought the transfer of all lakes, including those in Bengaluru, to the Forest Department. The previous government had transferred the lakes from Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority to the Minor Irrigation Department.
Private conservancy bill
The Forest Minister said no decision had been taken over the proposed Karnataka Private Conservancies Rules, 2017, which will allow private lands adjoining national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to develop tourism facilities if a portion of the land is set aside to be grown as a forest. Many environmentalists had criticised the rules claiming it would lead to illegal resorts that circumvent eco-sensitive zone regulations.
“We will talk to the environmentalists and look at the pros and cons of the policy. So far, no proposal has come under the rules,” said Mr. Shankar.