Urban Bengaluru bares brunt of 705 forest encroachments; minister assures action

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre informed the Legislative Council that a total of 705 forest encroachment cases have been reported in the Bengaluru Urban division.

Eshwar Khandre detailed that the Bengaluru Urban division encompasses 9,991.7 hectares of forest area. Of this, 711.81 hectares are in Bengaluru North taluk, 1,384.32 hectares in Bengaluru North (Additional), 3,467.38 hectares in Bengaluru South, 601.36 hectares in Bengaluru East and 3,836.83 hectares in Anekal taluk, as per reports.

Regarding the encroachment cases, 84 were reported in the Bengaluru range, 32 in the Yelahanka range, 244 in the Kaggalipura range, 255 in the KR Puram range, and 90 in the Anekal range.

The Minister also addressed concerns raised by MLC Chidanand M Gowda, noting that 46 individuals in the Bengaluru Urban division and 47 in the Bannerghatta National Park division have obtained court injunctions to halt the clearing of encroachments.

Khandre assured that the government remains committed to addressing and clearing all encroached lands.