Dharamsala: A case of encroachment on forest land by M/s Subhash Hydro Systems and Marketing Ltd (Ikku II), a micro hydel project company in Kangra district, has come to the fore.

The personnel of the Forest Department and the Police on Friday evicted a group of tribespeople, owing allegiance to the pro-Bharatiya Janata Party Kerala Adivasi Sangh (KAS), who had encroached upon 5 hectares of vested forests at Vattoli in the Periya Forest range under the North Wayanad Forest Division.

PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday claimed that the governments that disrespect the rights of tribals living in the forest, themselves are encroachers on forest lands and that enactment of Forest Rights Act (FAR) reinforces the right of the tribals living there.

“Tribals have not encroached on the forest land. We are the ones who have snatched away their forest rights by encroaching on the forest land,” the chief minister said while addressing an orientation programme on effective implementation of Forest Right Act (FRA), organized by Directorate of Tribal Welfare.

KOKRAJHAR: Along with the rest of the nation, the 63rd Vanamahatsav was observed in Kokrajhar at the behest of the Department of Forest on Sunday.

25 hectares of forestland resumed in operation

In a joint operation on Monday, the Forests and the Police Department evicted two groups of tribespeople who had allegedly encroached upon 25 hectares of vested forestland at Ayanikkal, Panamthara, Chanadkkunnu and Periya Muppathanju in the Periya range of forest under the North Wayanad forest division.

The government informs the High Court that Lad brothers are running water sports firm and resort on encroached forest land at Sandur

The State government on Monday informed the Karnataka High Court that MP Anil V. Lad and his brother Ashok V. Lad have encroached upon 86 acres and 97 cents of forest land for running their water sports firm and a resort at Sandur.

Task forces formed to curtail illegal activities in jungles, especially at night

The State Forest department aims to curb forest fires, encroachment of forest land, poaching of animals and smuggling of wood from the jungles with ‘Operation Kalabhairava’. Personnel associated with the operation will keep a close vigil over the illegal activities occurring in the forest. Presently, the department is taking the help of the members of the forest committees and the environment committees towards controlling illegal activities inside the forest.

Corbett Tiger Reserve may boast of the world’s highest density of tigers but it is beset by a host of problems that may soon see it lose its premier status.
CTR’s director Rajan Mishra admits that CTR has witnessed an intensification of man-animal conflict with as many as eight humans being killed by a man-eater in 2010.

One of the main reasons for this conflict is the massive construction of hotels and luxury villas blocking of the entire eastern boundary with only two passages available for wildlife to approach the Kosi river.

To reclaim tree cover lost to encroachment, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) will plant 15,000 trees of various species this year, including the state flower Jarul.

The park has set a target of planting 15,000 trees of native species such as Bamboo, Sembal (Cotton tree), Karanj (Indian Beech), Jarul, Banyan and Teak by the year-end. “It is part of habitat improvement and maintaining the forest cover by plantation in the areas freed by removing encroachments. It is basically reclamation of degraded land, what we call reboisement plantation,” said Sunil Limaye, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and director, SGNP.

The Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti, an environmental organisation, has urged the government to expedite steps to provide land to the landless tribal people in the wake of the ongoing land agitation by various tribal organisations in the district by encroaching upon forest land.

Speaking to media persons here, organisation president N. Badusha and secretary Thomas Ambalavayal said that the demand of the tribal organisations to provide land to the landless tribes people was quite reasonable and that the organisation supported their demand.