Karnataka Forest Minister Khandre trespassed on HMT land, alleges Union Minister Kumaraswamy

Ramanagara: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday alleged that the Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre trespassed on the land belonging to HMT, a central public sector enterprise, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Khandre on Tuesday directed officials concerned to take disciplinary action against those who permitted felling of trees in a forest land here, where a set was erected for shooting a Kannada movie ‘Toxic’. He also conducted a spot inspection of the site.

“There is trespassing (by Khandre) on the HMT land. We (had earlier) filed a suit related to it (over ownership of the land) and we are waiting for the court direction. We will fight it legally but we will not raise the issue for publicity,” Kumaraswamy, the Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister, told reporters.

In a note to Additional Chief Secretary of Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment on Tuesday, Khandre said a total of 599 acres of reserve forest in Bengaluru’s Peenya plantation-1 and plantation-2 is gazetted, which was illegally handed over to HMT in the 1960s without de-notification.

“The Forest Minister visited the HMT premises yesterday, which was given to the Canara Bank way back in 2002. It was not given on lease but sold to them (Canara Bank),” Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD(S) second-in-command, said.

He said he would hold a press conference in a day or two against the Forest Minister’s “attempt” to create confusion ‘unnecessarily’ in connection with the HMT land.

The Union Minister said there are encroachments on forest lands in various parts of the State, including Bengaluru.

In Srinivasapura in Kolar district, a public representative has encroached on 120 acres of forest land. A court has given direction to recover 61 acres of land from him. Deadline has also been fixed but no step has been taken, Kumaraswamy alleged.

“I want to ask the Forest Minister who met the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), what direction did CM give you (Forest Minister) and what instruction you (Forest Minister) gave to the forest officials. Should there be different yardsticks for the poor and the Congress leaders?” Kumaraswamy sought to know.