File photo of Karnataka's Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre.
Credit: DH Photo
The Forest Department took a significant step on Friday in reclaiming 599 acres of Peenya Plantation, currently occupied by Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT), by regaining possession of five acres.
Forest officers from the Bengaluru Urban division arrived at the site, identified as Peenya Plantation survey number 1, with an earth mover to remove encroachments. They also installed signage to assert the department's ownership of the land.
The 599 acres had been designated as reserved forest in May 1896 and 1901. The Forest Department states that the land was never denotified for non-forest use, despite HMT claiming ownership and selling 165 acres to government and private entities.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre declared the occupation and sale of the land by HMT as illegal and pledged to recover the land to create a Cubbon Park-like green space in northern Bengaluru.