Heavy Metal Tools Limited (HMT) must hand over 430 acres [1] and 21 guntas [2] of land to the Forest Department following a legal ruling.
The decision marks a significant victory for environmental conservation in Bengaluru, Karnataka, as it recovers land within the Peenya Plantation and Jarakabande Sandal reserve. This move prevents the continued unauthorized use of protected forest areas by a corporate entity.
The ruling came after a legal process determined that the company's hold on the property was not legitimate. The land in question is situated across two critical areas: the Peenya Plantation and the Jarakabande Sandal reserve.
According to the authorized officer and Deputy Conservator of Forests in Bengaluru, the possession of the land by HMT is "unauthorised and illegal," the official said.
The order requires the immediate return of the 430 acres [1] and 21 guntas [2] to the state's forest authorities. The dispute centered on the legality of how HMT occupied the land and whether such possession aligned with forestry regulations, a point the court found lacking.
This legal action ensures that the land returns to the jurisdiction of the Forest Department for management and protection. The recovery of the Jarakabande Sandal reserve area is particularly notable given the ecological and economic value of sandalwood forests in the region.
“HMT must hand over 430 acres and 21 guntas of land to the Forest Department.”
This ruling reinforces the legal protections afforded to forest reserves in India and sets a precedent that corporate land possession cannot supersede environmental laws. By returning the Peenya Plantation and Jarakabande Sandal reserve land to the state, the government can prioritize biodiversity and the protection of high-value timber species over industrial land use.
