Mangaluru : Vinay Luthra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests has said that the work on the identification and finalisation of deemed forest has been completed in all districts, including Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. A report would be placed before the Supreme Court within a month, he said here on Friday.

Mr. Luthra told presspersons here that following reports from committees headed by Deputy Conservators of Forests about the extent of deemed forest, committees headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests had recommended the extent of land that needed to be excluded from the deemed forest category. They had proposed to retain deemed forest land that had the nature of a forest.

The department had received reports from all Chief Conservators of Forests. Mr. Luthra said a consolidated statement would be placed before the Cabinet subcommittee, which, would place it before the State Cabinet. Following approval from the Cabinet, the Forest Department would place the report before the Supreme Court.

Sanjay Bijoor, Conservator of Forests, Mangaluru Circle, said that of the 87,511 hectares (ha) of deemed forest identified by the committee headed by DCF, Dakshina Kannada, a proposal had been made for exclusion of 34,850 ha in Dakshina Kannada. Similarly 29,710 ha had been proposed for exclusion out of 40,362 ha of deemed forest in Udupi.

Mr. Luthra said process of recruitment of tribal people as forest guards would start only after changes are made in Cadre and Recruitment rules. However, tribal people were being recruited for the post of forest watchers. He said a proposal had been submitted to the State government for deputation of officers from revenue and other departments for new Rehabilitation and Resettlement wing set up in the Forest Department.