Karnataka: Revenue department tells Hassan DC to check illegal mining in deemed forest

Bengaluru: Days after DH reported on quarries blasting through 400 acres of forest in Hassan district, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has written to the revenue department, requesting an immediate end to illegal mining. 

On August 9, DH had reported on how quarries in 400 acres of deemed forest in Arkalgud and Channarayapatna taluks were illegally resumed with one of the quarry licence holders being allowed to resume mining, despite the High Court dismissing his petition as "devoid of merits".

The quarries were suspended in February this year after the forest department had flagged that the land parcels in question had been notified as deemed forests in May 2022.

The high court judgment against quarry licence holders came on April 2, essentially restoring protection to the deemed forest.

However, on June 26, the Hassan district task force headed by the deputy commissioner took a decision to allow mining in the deemed forest by reasoning that a joint survey by the revenue, mines and geology, and forest was yet to be completed.

In his letter to Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Khandre quoted the DH report and said the district authorities were going ahead with mining despite a high court order.

"The Karnataka High Court has already given a judgment related to mining in deemed forest in writ petition 7783 of 2024. Despite this, the Hassan deputy commissioner-led task force has allowed mining in the deemed forest without getting clearance from the forest department. This decision is void of law. It has led to serious damage to the deemed forest. I request you to look into the matter and take appropriate decisions," Khandre said.

As per the Forest (Conservation) Act, any proposal for use of forest land for non-forest purposes requires clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The process entails providing alternative land for compensatory afforestation to balance development with conservation.

To a question, revenue department principal secretary Rajender Kumar Kataria said the department had issued directions to the Hassan district authorities.

"Instructions have been given to the Hassan DC to look into the matter and act immediately. Specifically, we have told them to complete the joint survey on priority in areas that have received conflicting claims of ownership. Areas with mining activities, especially those where complaints have been received about the status of land, will also be surveyed soon to put an end to the confusion," he said.