Meera Bhardwaj:
Karnataka Government has constituted Special Investigation Teams (SIT) to look into possession of forest lands by Revenue Deptt, take it back and hand it over to Karnataka Forest Department. The Special Investigation Teams (SITs) will inquire into whether any forest lands are still in the possession of Karnataka Revenue Department at both district and state level.
This is in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated May 15, 2025. The state-level SIT has to submit the report to the state govt within six months.
The Supreme Court citing T N Godavarman Thirumulpad case has directed all state govts in the country to constitute Special Investigation Teams for the purpose of examining as to whether any of the forest land in the possession of the Revenue Department has been allotted to any private individuals or institutions for any purpose other than forestry purpose.
LANDMARK ORDER
In its ruling, the Supreme Court has directed the state govt to take back all forest lands in possession of individuals or institutions and hand over such lands to the Karnataka Forest Department.
Further, the apex court has said in case, it is found that taking back the possession of the forest land would not be in the larger public interest, the State Govt should recover the cost of the said land from the persons or institutions to whom they were allotted and use the said amount for the purpose of development of forests.
SITs IN ALL DISTRICTS
Karnataka Govt order dated September15, 2025 says, “After careful examination and in compliance of the Supreme Court directions, the state govt has decided to set up special investigation teams (SITs) in every district and a state-level SIT for implementing the directions of the apex court. In this regard, the SITs are to consolidate the findings and submit the report and recommendations to the state government within six months of the order that is March 15, 2026.”
The Terms of Reference (ToR) will be the following.
DISTRICT SIT COMPOSITION:
- Deputy Commissioner of the District: Head of the district level SIT.
- Deputy Conservator of Forests of Territorial, Wildlife divisions, whose jurisdiction fall within the district – Member Secretary (if the forest area falls within the jurisdiction of both territorial and wildlife divisions in that instance, then both the DCFs will be members of District Level SIT).
- Deputy Director, Land Records, Member
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR DISTRICT SIT
The district Special Investigation Teams shall:
- Carry out detailed investigations, by inter alai examining records held by Revenue, Forest Dett and other other Deptts, to identify instances wherein forest land in the possession of the Revenue Deptt, has been allotted to any private individual or any private institution for any purpose other than forest purpose.
- Identify details and names of taluk, hobli, village, survey nos and the extent of forest lands allotted.
- It shall also obtain copies of the orders through which allotments have been made to such individuals or institutions.
- Consolidate the information of the district in the format as finalized by state-level SIT.
- Work as per guidelines, clarifications issued by the State-level SIT.
- Collect and consolidate the information regarding such allotments made to private individuals, institutions in the larger interest of the public.
- Also collect, consolidate information regarding any pending court cases or litigation if any in lieu of such allottments that have taken place.
- Consolidate the information and submit within four months to the state-level SIT.
COMPOSITION OF STATE-LEVEL SIT
The state-level Special Investigation Team will comprise:
- Additional Chief Secretary to Govt, Forest, Ecology & Environment – Head of the state level, SIT.
- Principal Secretary to Govt, Deptt of Revenue – Member.
- PCCF & Head of Forest Force – Member
- PCCF (EWPRT & CC) – Member
- APCCF, Working Plan – Member Secretary
- Commissioner of Survey Settlement & Land Records – Member
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR STATE SIT
The terms of reference for the State-Level SIT:
- Shall regularly review the progress of the District-level SIT and issue further guidelines and clarification and deemed necessary for such investigation
- Shall consolidate the information received from the various district-level SITs and submit the same along with a report to the state govt.
- Shall submit the recommendation with respect to taking steps to reclaim land from the private persons or institutions and hand over the same to the Karnataka Forest Department.
- In case, it is found that the re-possession of the land would not be in the largest interest of the public, modalities that should be adopted for recovering the cost of the said land from persons or institutions to whom they were allotted.
According to a retired PCCF, this is a very pro-active step to conserve and recover “notified Reserve Forests” from the clutches of the Revenue Department who have allowed the illegal occupation of lands that are forest lands and people became owners due to illegal land records of the Revenue Department. In fact, many big coffee estates that were forest lands are in the possession of such private institutions and individuals.
Welcoming the apex court order and the setting up of the Special Investigation Teams by the Karnataka Government, activists said it is hoped no pressure is brought on the members of both state and district level SITs regarding inclusion of private individuals or institutions even if they are politicians, MLAs, MPs, influential people, well-known institutions or NGOs.