Recover encroached forest land in Western Ghats region: Khandre

Environment Minister directs strict action against unauthorized developments in Western Ghats to prevent tragedies and protect the environment.

Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has directed officials to take strict action against unauthorised layouts, plantations, homestays and resorts that have come up in the Western Ghats region.

The Minister instructed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department to clear all forest land that has been encroached on since 2015 in Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Hassan districts and other parts of the Western Ghats.

He has instructed that strict action be taken against unauthorised layouts, plantations, homestays and resorts and clear the encroached sites. He directed officials to compile an action-taken report and submit a report in one month.

In the wake of the Shirur landslip, which claimed 11 lives, and the Wayanad devastation, which has claimed more than 200 lives, Mr. Khandre said that these tragedies are also a wake-up call for the people of Karnataka and the survival of the Western Ghats.

In his note, Mr. Khandre said the government has taken seriously the opinion of the experts that such tragedies are recurring due to unscientifically cutting of hills and constructing roads.

He added that heavy vehicular traffic in the Western Ghats region is also posing a danger and that thousands of people are visiting hill stations on weekends on the pretext of tourism and trekking. He said there was a possibility that the trekking activities may come to a halt.