PUNE, June 8: The inertia of the Forest and Revenue authorities which is abetting land sharks to destroy the fragile Western Ghats ecology was exposed with Deputy Conservator of Forests in charge of Raigad district, R K Das, seizing another 40 acres of encroached government forest land last Sunday.

The action at Kalamb village near Karjat which local politicians reportedly tried to stall, came close on the heels of Das seizing about 118 hectare of forest land at the north-western foothills of the hill-station of Matheran on May 15. In both the cases the land acquired under the Maharashtra Private Forests (Acquisition) Act 1975 were sold and re-sold because neither the forest men nor the revenue officials bothered to change the revenue records and the 7/12 extracts after acquisitions.

The extent of encroachment at Kalamb village could be much more than what has been seized, well-placed FD sources said. At least three farm house structures having ultra-modern amenities were seized.

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