De-reserving of forest land: Government plans joint survey by Forests and Revenue Departments to find solution

The Congress government is likely to conduct a joint survey by Forests and Revenue Departments to find a solution to the over four-decade old problem of de-reserving the forest land, which currently has habitation.

The Congress government is likely to conduct a joint survey by Forests and Revenue Departments to find a solution to the over four-decade old problem of de-reserving the forest land, which currently has habitation.

It may be mentioned here that in May this year, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) sent back the State government’s proposal for de-reservation of forest land, released earlier for rehabilitation of families affected by the Sharavati Valley Hydroelectric Project.

The de-reserving of forest land has been a huge problem for successive governments. People living in houses built on such land or cultivating the land do not have the rights of mortgage or sale, though they have been living on the land before the Forest (Conservation) Act was implemented in 1980. This is because Column 9 of the Records of Rights, Tenancy & Crops (RTC) will have the characteristic of the land in question as forest.

“Several villages and large habitations are currently on the land notified as forest in the RTC though they have lost the characteristics of forest. The habitations have been there for several decades before the 1980 act was enforced,” Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre told The Hindu.

“There has been no comprehensive State-wide survey done yet. A proper joint survey is needed that could be verified by a third party. Maps are to be prepared along with a report that should be submitted to the Centre. Ultimately, it will be the Supreme Court that will decide on the issue. We have to file a IA in the court,” he added. Karnataka High Court ruled in 2021 that forest cannot be de-reserved without prior permission of the Central government.

Though the problem is believed to be acute in Ramanagara, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Shivamogga districts, such cases exist in other districts too. The Minister said the joint survey is needed in almost all districts, citing that even in a district such as Bidar — where forest cover is less than 10% — the issue persists. “In many cases across the State, well-established villages with temples, anganwadi, ANM centres and agricultural fields are facing the issue,” the Minister said.

Mr. Khandre said that currently, only linear projects such as laying pipeline or providing electricity and other infrastructure to the habitation is being taken up, and there are clear guidelines about it.