Kolar
The Appellate Authority and Conservator of Forests (Territorial), Bengaluru, has dismissed the writ petition filed by former Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and directed him to peacefully hand over encroached forest land in Kolar district.
The order relates to land in Hosahudya village of Srinivasapura taluk, covering Survey No. 1 and Survey No. 2, measuring a total of 60.23 guntas, including six acres and 54 acres 23 guntas of forest land. The authority upheld earlier eviction orders issued by the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kolar, on June 24, 2011.
In its ruling, the Appellate Authority noted that a joint survey conducted on January 15 and 16, 2025, clearly confirmed encroachment of forest land. It also stated that the findings were in line with directions of the Karnataka High Court in connection with the writ petition.
The authority has instructed Ramesh Kumar to hand over possession of the encroached land to the Forest Department within 30 days of receiving the order. It further stated that if he fails to comply, the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kolar Division, will take necessary steps to evict the encroachment.
The case has drawn political attention in the district, as Ramesh Kumar had earlier accused forest officials of harassing farmers and acting unfairly. His remarks had received support from several legislators across party lines during various KDP meetings held in Kolar, where concerns were raised about the functioning of the forest department.
With the latest order, officials have reinforced that forest land protection measures will be strictly enforced in accordance with legal procedures and court directions.