A proposal by the Bhadra Tiger Reserve to acquire 4,430 acres of land belonging to the late V G Siddhartha and Cafe Coffee Day has led to suspicion that political pressure has been exerted on the department to help a family in distress.
Documents available with DH show that the director of Bhadra Tiger Reserve had written to the Chief Conservator of Forests seeking permission to acquire the land, by quoting a proposal made by local NGOs.
In a proposal dated February 14, 2020, the director states that owners of “Coffee Day Group were in the process of selling” land adjacent to the tiger reserve in Tanigebylu and Muthodi ranges.
“Acquiring the land belonging to Cafe Coffee Day for the tiger reserve would help in better living conditions of the wildlife in the reserve,” the proposal states.
The letter lists 31 parcels of land belonging to V G Siddhartha and Coffee Day Pvt Ltd in Dandubittahara village and Nandigave village of Narasimharajapura taluk, Chikkamagaluru. Sources in the department said the proposal estimated the cost of the acquisition at Rs 708 crore at Rs 16 lakh an acre, including the value of timber.
However, an activist said the proposal will end up helping the company rather than the department.
“The company has been facing financial problems and was in debt. The revenue documents for the land show that the said lands have been mortgaged. How can the department accept the exorbitant rate of Rs 16 lakh per acre without proper inquiry,” he asked.
Noting that the department has been unable to help tribals stuck in the reserves by making the voluntary relocation plan attractive, he asked, “Why should the government help a beleagured company?”
An official who had gone through the proposal said that it has been kept aside at the department for the time being.
“It was felt that it would be unscientific for the department to consider the proposal. It may be taken up at a later stage at the right moment,” he stated.
A retired official said the priority of the department should be voluntary relocation of people in forests, including tribal households.
“Rehabilitation in Kudremukh began 15 years ago but we are unable to take it up. Voluntary relocation in Dandeli has also been affected by gaps in funding,” he added.
Samaj Parivarthana Samudaya’s S R Hiremath, who had sought an investigation into the death of V G Siddhartha, urged the government to investigate the allegations surrounding land encroachment.
“Several complaints have been made against V G Siddhartha and his involvement in scams. I had made a detailed complaint to the chief secretary of Karnataka besides writing to authorities at the Centres. The government should first begin an inquiry to recover vast patches of forest land in the area, which have been encroached by powerful people,” he
said.