Bengaluru: Flagging serious lapses in the identification of deemed forests, revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed officials to undertake a fresh, accurate listing, warning that past errors have hurt land administration and farmer interests. Sources say a 2022 notification based on two rounds of surveys listing deemed forests contained multiple errors. These included the inclusion of govt buildings, private land parcels, and gomala land that lacked any forest characteristics. The flawed classification has created hurdles for the govt in allocating land to farmers and other stakeholders, especially where grazing lands were wrongly tagged. At a high-level meeting with forest and revenue department officials recently, Byre Gowda said district-wise teams must be formed to reassess deemed forest areas through joint surveys. He said a clear demarcation of revenue and forest boundaries would help avoid disputes and delays in land use decisions. Joint surveys are already underway in some districts, including Chikkamagaluru. The govt initiated a revision exercise last year, aiming to correct inconsistencies and prepare a credible database of deemed forests. At the recent meeting, officials from both departments attended the meeting, while deputy commissioners from across districts joined virtually. Byre Gowda expressed displeasure over the lack of coordination between departments, especially instances where forest officials refused to sign joint survey reports. He called such behaviour “unacceptable” and called for accountability in the process. Highlighting past irregularities, Gowda said areas without tree cover had been classified as deemed forests, creating long-term complications. “We have forgotten the concept of deemed forests. Areas that look like forests should be designated as deemed forests,” he said. He questioned the rationale behind classifying non-forest land parcels such as Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board land, lake beds and even school grounds as deemed forests. He also flagged cases where commercial plantations like ‘Sendivana’ were marked as forest land, asking officials to ensure clarity in classification at both state and district levels. The govt is now looking to finalise an updated list that balances environmental safeguards with land use requirements, while ensuring that classification is based on ground realities.
