Forest dept removes foundation of house in Kalenja village; MLA intervenes 

Team Udayavani, Oct 7, 2023, 4:17 PM IST

The Forest Department removed the foundation of a family’s new house in Kalenja village, Amminadka, where they intended to construct a new home after demolishing their old one.

Approximately 150 years ago, the ancestral family of Amminadka Kuddamane Sesa Gowda, residents of Kalenja village, initiated the construction of a house on their ancestral land. However, on October 6,  the son of the household, distraught over the Forest Department’s actions, attempted suicide.

MLA Harish Poonja promptly visited the location on October 7. In a bid to address the situation, he confronted the Forest Department officials responsible for the removal of the foundation. However, this encounter led to a heated verbal altercation between the Forest Department and the MLA.

More than 120 individuals currently reside in survey number 309, despite the area being classified as forest land. The sudden eviction without prior notice deeply affected the local villagers. In response to the situation, MLA Harish Poonja immediately contacted Forest Minister Ishwar Khandre.

Following the conversation with the Forest Minister, it was decided that the matter would not be pursued further at this time. Additionally, the officials were instructed to await further instructions from their superiors after conducting a joint survey with the Revenue Department.

Puttur ACF Subbaiah Naik, Uppinangady Forest Officer Jayaprakash, Kalenja Deputy Zonal Forest Officer Prashant, and SI Dharmasthala Samarth were also present.