Forest officials raid illegal resort in Sakleshpur reserve forest area; lock resort, owner's house
Sakleshpur: Forest Department officials and staff members raided a resort that had been built allegedly illegally in a protected area of Bilisare in the taluk.
The Forest Department team from Bengaluru, led by Forest Officer Shilpa, held an operation on Tuesday morning in the area, on receiving a tip-off that the Stone Valley Resort in Acchanahalli Reserve Forest area has been built without permission. The team from Bengaluru and the local officials of the Forest Department had issued a notice to the owner of the resort regarding the matter. A team of 30 personnel held a raid on the resort and inspected it, before locking the resort as well as the owner’s house.
The Forest Department had locked a resort near Vanaguru in the taluk, taking action under Section 4 of the Karnataka Forest Act. The locals, however, has alleged that more than 20 resorts and homestays have been constructed within the sanctuary, and are still open and working. “The fact that the Forest Department officials have taken action against only one resort here has given rise to many doubts,” they added.
Sakleshpur BJP MLA Cement Manju had expressed his anger in the Karnataka Assembly House recently, against the Forest Department’s inaction against such illegal resorts. A day after, Bengaluru officials of the Department carried out the raid on the Stone Valley Resort, sending a prior notice to the owner alleging encroachment of the reserve area to build the resort.
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“Mistake owing to communication gap,” MLA Yatnal clarifies over alleged derogatory speech on Prophet
Vijayapura: Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has denied making any derogatory statement about Prophet Muhammad, clarifying that there was a misstatement during his speech at a Ram Navami event in Hubballi. "I did not speak about Prophet Muhammad. I meant to refer to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, but there was a mistake in the speed of speech," he said addressing reporters on Monday.
He alleged that members of the Congress, frustrated by their hooliganism and failure to collect their hafta (extortion) in Vijayapura are using the Prophet as an excuse to speak against me. “There is no culture of denigrating another religion in Hinduism. Our gurus and elders have not taught us that,” he said.
Responding to another controversy involving an audio clip in which he was allegedly threatened, Yatnal said the police are investigating the matter and that those behind it will soon be exposed. “No one can finish me. The Hindus of Karnataka are with me. If someone tries to finish me, the whole state will rise in protest,” he warned.
