Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) Ltd . must give up control of 430 acres and 21 guntas in Bengaluru's Peenya Plantation and Jarakabande Sandal reserve. Court of authorized officer and Deputy Conservator of Forests,N. Ravindra Kumar, ruled HMT's land hold unauthorized, illegal.
Under Karnataka Forest Act 1963,court identified disputed areas—Survey numbers 1,2,18,19—as forest land. HMT has 30 days to comply or face eviction by Range Forest Officer. They can appeal to Conservator of Forests (Territorial) in Bengaluru.
Land issue has political flavor. Ex-Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre wanted to turn land into tree park, Union Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy objected. HMT got temporary protection from Karnataka High Court against Forest Department actions.
Between 1996-2006,HMT transferred 178 acres,7.2 guntas in disputed areas to government,private entities . Forest Department pointed out land was marked as forest by Maharaja of Mysore in 1901,1932,never denotified .
In 2018, Union Minister for Environment confirmed land's forest status as of October 25, 1980, under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam,1980. HMT cited 1961 Government Order allowing use of 216 acres,along with grant certificates,a gift deed for more land .
But Deputy Conservator of Forests pointed to Supreme Court rulings, saying forest land diversion needs strict adherence to Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. Court noted Deputy Commissioner only executed orders,couldn't independently alienate forest land . HMT's lack of original Government Orders hurt its case.
The court stressed HMT should've returned land to state once it wasn't needed. Any third-party transfers by HMT must be examined under forest laws,constitutional obligations .
This ruling highlights a key moment in Bengaluru's land use,environmental protection debate as authorities try to reclaim forest areas. But what comes next?…
