Acting on minister Eshwar Khandre’s directive, forest officers have reclaimed 26 acres 33 guntas of reserve land in Madaba village, Channarayapatna taluk. The tract had been covertly converted into plantations after mature trees were felled, using forged ginger‑farming papers allegedly endorsed by a few complicit revenue staff.
Responding to complaints dated 23 October, the department filed criminal cases against the encroachers, dispatched earth‑movers to uproot illicit crops, and replanted native saplings. Fresh boundary markers and warning boards now ring the site, underscoring the area’s protected status.
Chief Conservator V. Yedukondalu and Deputy Conservator Saurabh Kumar supervised the sweep, stressing that the operation signals zero tolerance for those carving coconut, coffee, or areca estates from Karnataka’s woodlands. Officials affirmed that further probes will trace document fraud and discipline any staff who sanctioned illegal titles.
Local conservationists welcomed the swift action, noting restored tree cover shields wildlife corridors and groundwater recharge zones. Authorities urged villagers to report suspicious clearances promptly, promising prompt redress.
The reclaimed acreage will be nurtured through periodic patrols, community awareness drives, and sapling‑care schemes, ensuring the forest returns to full health and continues serving as a green buffer for generations.
Read also: