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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Priyanka Gandhi urges Nitin Gadkari to expedite road projects in Kerala's Wayanad
Wayanad/New Delhi (PTI): Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said she met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, seeking his intervention to expedite pending road infrastructure works in her constituency, including those aimed at addressing landslide issues at the Thamarassery pass.
Sharing photographs of the meeting on the social media platform 'X', Priyanka said Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, heard her concerns and sought updates from the relevant officials.
In her post, she expressed hope that the pressing issues she raised, which directly affect public safety and daily life, would receive the attention and urgency they deserve.
“Met respected Gadkari to raise issues concerning my constituency, Wayanad, and urged that pending works be expedited without further delay. He was kind enough to hear my concerns and get updates from the relevant officers,” she said.
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“I sincerely hope these pressing issues, which directly affect people’s safety and daily lives, will receive the attention and urgency they deserve,” she added.
A day earlier, Priyanka had sought an appointment with Gadkari in Parliament, saying she had been seeking an opportunity since June to discuss issues related to her constituency.
Responding to her request, the minister had said his doors were always open and that she could meet him at any time.
She subsequently met him at his office later the same day.
Met respected Shri @nitin_gadkari to raise issues concerning my constituency, Wayanad, and urged that pending works be expedited without further delay.
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 19, 2025
He was kind enough to hear my concerns and get an update from the relevant officers.
I sincerely hope these pressing issues… pic.twitter.com/UkxnXP6gxn
