Bhubaneswar: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has asked the state government to enquire into the alleged use of forest land at Jatni in Khurda district by a private company.
Acting on a complaint filed by Jnanaranjan Das, the ministry said that it has come to light that a forest land at Jamujhari in Jatni in the district had been used as a depot for old vehicles by a private company. The land has also been allegedly taken over by a private person, in alleged violation of environmental laws.
“It is therefore requested to kindly enquire into the matter, take necessary action and submit action-taken report to this office. Further, it may also be ensured that no non-forest activity shall be allowed on forest land without prior approval under Section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980,” the letter from the ministry to the state Forest department said.
The petitioner, a resident of the area, had earlier moved the MoEF and the officials concerned in the state on the matter. In his complaint to the ministry, he had said, “Since forest land cannot be recorded in the name of private individual, somehow, in collusion with tehsil office, the land has been recorded in the name of a private individual and same is not permissible under law.”
It was submitted that irrespective of the ownership of the land the Forest Conservation Act 1980 is applicable to all such lands categorized as forest and here it is categorized as chhot forest. Terming the whole work as illegal, the petitioner had said that as per the record of rights as updated in the Bhulekh website of the state government, the land was recorded as a chhot forest land but later it was found to be registered against a private individual.