Forest Deparment officials clear encroachment of 27 acres in Channarayapatna taluk in Karnataka’s Hassan district

Forest Department officials clear 27 acres of encroached forest land in Madaba village, estimated value over ₹10 crore.

The Forest Department officials, on Sunday morning (May 18, 2025), cleared encroachment of 27 acres of forest area at Madaba village in Bagur hobli of Channarayapatna taluk, Hassan district, Karnataka. The officials have estimated the value of the recovered land above ₹10 crore.

Following a complaint about the illegal grant of 26 acres and 33 guntas of land at survey number 27 of Madaba, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre had ordered the clearing of the encroachment.

A communique from the Minister’s office stated that a few people had cultivated a farm after cutting the trees in the forest area. Tejas Gowda, a resident of Channarayapatna, had complained to the Minister about the illegal grant. The Minister wrote to officers of his Department on October 23, 2024, to remove the encroachment after verifying the records.

The Department registered a case against those who encroached on the forest land and cleared the land with the help of earthmovers. Later, they planted saplings of local varieties and also placed a board, declared it as forest land. V. Yedukondala, Conservator of Forests, Sourabh Kumar, DCF of Hassan and other officers monitored the operation.