Stating that the Forest Department has adopted zero tolerance towards encroachment of forest land, Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology Eshwar Khandre on Monday directed department officials to clear all encroachments reported after 2015.

No new encroachments should be allowed, the Minister said.

Speaking at a meeting in Udupi to review the functioning of the department, the Minister said that 2 lakh acres of forest land were encroached upon in the State before 2015. In this, the government has decided not to clear the encroachments of families who have encroached for livelihood, that is, those who have encroached upon less than three acres, including “patta” land, until the government makes alternative arrangements. The department should clear encroachments exceeding three acres.

The Minister said that 55 cases related to an area of 6,144.99 hectares under Mangaluru Circle of the department are pending to be declared as Section 17 (notified or reserve forest) and steps will be taken to appoint an officer to complete this process as soon as possible.

The Minister asked T.K. Swaroopa, Deputy Commissioner of Udupi, to complete the joint survey, by Forest and Revenue departments, of deemed forest in the district at the earliest.

Mr. Khandre said that human-animal conflicts are being reported from Puttur, Hebri, Sullia, Uppinangady, Belthangady, Venur, Karkala areas and the department should take measures to prevent it.

He appreciated the officials and staff who found, arrested and produced before the court the culprits who killed a leopard and chopped off its legs in the Hennabayalu section of the Shankaranarayana range in Udupi district.

He instructed officials to take action against polluting fish mills and to regularly check the water quality of rivers and monitor whether the purification plants are functioning properly.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Manoj Tripathi was present.