The Forest Department has written to the State Government for the cancellation of land grant of 2,343.19 acres in the forest area of Hassan district and has also sought action against Revenue Department officers responsible for the “unlawful grant of land.”
Raj Kishore Singh, PCCF and Head of Forest Force, on July 19, wrote to Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary of Forest, Environment and Ecology Department, that land located in forest area had been granted in Hassan, violating the laws, in 596 cases. Even after repeated reminders from the Deputy Conservator of Forests, no action had been taken to cancel the grants. “I request you to appeal to the Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue to cancel the land grant and register cases against officers responsible for illegal grants as per Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980,” the letter said.
The Hemavathi project, taken up in the 1970s, affected 172 villages and submerged 22,640 acres. A dam was built at Goruru in Hassan taluk in 1979. The Yagachi project was implemented in 2001 and the Vatehole project was completed in 1984. Hundreds of people lost their land to these projects. They were eligible for alternative land for cultivation. The grant of alternative land went on for decades.
K.N. Basavaraj, Deputy Conservator of Forests in Hassan, told The Hindu that the issue was raised with the Revenue Department officials on several occasions. “As there had been no action, the PCCF has now written to the ACS. He also sought action against Assistant Commissioner of Revenue Department, responsible for illegal grant,” he said.
Cancellation process on
When V. Manjunath, Special Land Acquisition Officer in Hassan, was contacted, he said the process of cancelling grants, ordered against the law, was on. Upon verifying the documents, the orders would be cancelled, he said.
