Bengaluru
Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ishwara Khandre has suggested to submit a proposal to appoint Additional Forest Officers for the settlement of all cases in view of the delay in the further process despite the introduction of Section 4 in the state many years ago.
Presiding over a meeting of senior officers held in his office at Vikas Soudha, he said that encroachment and illegal encroachment even after the introduction of Section 4 as a prelude to declaring it as a reserve forest, the cases should be disposed of quickly to control this.
After receiving information from the Chief Conservator of Forests, Deputy Conservators of Forests and Zonal Forest Officers of various circles who were involved in the video conference, the Minister said that in the total area of Section 4, the areas with uninhabited areas, disputes and pending cases in the court will be made into Section 17 in the first phase, then the rest of the cases. He suggested that the report should be heard and settled within the time limit.
The Minister suggested that the details of the joint survey of forest and revenue land should be published on the website of the forest department so that it is available to the public, and said that steps should be taken to conduct a joint survey wherever there is a demand.
