Karnataka Forest Minister Ishwar Khandre told the Legislative Council on Monday that his department is working to return more than 5,100 acres of reserved forest land leased to nine plantations in Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts in the 1940s.
The information was provided in response to a question raised by BJP MLC MP Kushalappa.
“In 1999-2000, the forest department came to know that plantations were done within the reserved forest land. Till then, the ownership of the land was not revealed,’ he said. The High Court has stayed the notice issued by the Forest Department against the plantation owner. The state has appealed against the order, the minister added.
Initially, the lease was for 999 years, but it was reduced to 99 years after the objection of the forest department. The Minister also informed that the Forest Department has proceeded to collect the rental amount of 20.59 billion and the interest of 1471.58 crores raised over the years.
He said some cases related to lease and government arrears are being heard in the Supreme Court. Khandre informed that a five-member task force has been formed to solve the problem quickly and said that the government is working for it. Return the land the earliest.
Among the reserved forest land, 1 thousand 289.29 acres have been leased to Portland Rubber Company, 1 thousand 74 acres to Mercara Rubber Company, 713.03 acres to Nilambur Rubber Company and 625 acres to Thompson Rubber Company, according to the government’s written reply.