Karnataka govt reclaims 120 acres of encroached forest land worth Rs 4,000 cr
Bengaluru, Jun 23 (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday reclaimed 120 acres of forest land valued at Rs 4,000 crore, encroached upon in Kadugodi plantation here, officials said.
The drive against encroachment was initiated following the direction of state Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre.
According to officials, amid tight police security, a team led by officers of the Bengaluru Urban Forest Department began the operation early this morning using JCBs to remove encroachments from the Kadugodi plantation forest land, which is situated at Bidarahalli Hobali of Bengaluru East taluk.
During the operation, officials demarcated boundaries, erected fences, and initiated planting saplings of native species to revive the ecosystem.
The estimated market value of the reclaimed forest land today is around Rs 4,000 crore, they said.
During a recent review meeting with the senior officials of the forest department, Minister Khandre emphasised the urgent need to conserve Bengaluru's "shrinking" green cover.
He noted that as Bengaluru has been expanding rapidly, the city's green cover was depleting by the day.
In this regard, the government has issued clear instructions to protect green zones as vital breathing spaces and directed officials to strictly clear forest land encroachments in accordance with the law.
Since Khandre took charge as Forest Minister, 128 acres of forest land was cleared of encroachments in Bengaluru over the past two years.
"With the addition of today's 120 acres, a total of 248 acres have now been reclaimed, with an estimated market value exceeding Rs 8,000 crore," the forest department officials stated.
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Karnataka Police seize 1,220 Kerala lottery tickets worth Rs 72,000
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka police seized 1,220 Kerala lottery tickets valued at approximately Rs 72,000 that were being transported for illegal resale, officials said on Tuesday.
They were seized by law enforcement personnel, who intercepted a vehicle carrying the tickets on a route from Bandadka in neighbouring Kerala towards Karnataka, police sources said.
According to police, the accused had allegedly purchased the lottery tickets across the Kerala border and was moving them to Sampaje for resale at marked-up prices, officials said.
The practice of transporting and selling lottery tickets from Kerala is banned under the Karnataka Lottery Prohibition Act, and authorities said the seizure was part of ongoing efforts to crack down on the illegal lottery trade.
The police detained the person found in possession of the tickets during checks conducted as part of regular surveillance near border areas and a case has been registered at the local police station, officials added.
Police noted that despite the state government's ban on lottery sales, Kerala State lottery tickets are often smuggled into Karnataka for unlawful resale, particularly in villages and towns along the Kerala-Karnataka border. Enforcement agencies have stepped up vigilance in recent months to curb the circulation of such tickets.
The arrested individual is likely to be charged under relevant sections of the Karnataka Lottery and Prize Competitions Control and Tax Act. Further investigation is underway, police said.
