Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa government has established Special Investigation Teams (SITs) in every taluka to probe cases involving reserved forest land that may have been diverted for non-forestry purposes while remaining recorded under the Revenue Department.
The decision comes in the wake of a Supreme Court directive asking all States and Union Territories to examine instances where forest land was allegedly allotted to private individuals, organisations or institutions for non-forest use, and to complete corrective action within a stipulated timeframe.
According to an official notification issued by the Revenue Department, the Deputy Collector of each taluka will serve as the head of the respective SIT. The panel will also include the Assistant Conservator of Forests, a representative from the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR), the local Talathi, and other officials as required depending on the case.
Government sources indicated that a preliminary joint assessment conducted by the district administration along with the Forest Department has already flagged several cases that warrant detailed investigation.
The SITs have been mandated to verify whether reserved forest land recorded in revenue records was allocated or used for non-forest purposes by private parties or institutions. They will also prepare a detailed inventory of such parcels, including information on location, extent, and current status of use.
As part of their mandate, the teams will recommend measures to reclaim such land and ensure its transfer back to the Forest Department. In cases where recovery is not feasible due to overriding public interest considerations, the SITs will assess the market value of the land and suggest recovery of compensation from the beneficiaries, with the proceeds earmarked for forest conservation and development activities.
The teams will also identify forest areas still listed under revenue records and submit comprehensive reports to the government through the respective District Collectors.
The exercise will be jointly overseen by District Collectors and Deputy Conservators of Forests, ensuring coordination between revenue and forest authorities.
The move is in compliance with a Supreme Court order issued last year, which directed all States and Union Territories to form SITs to scrutinise diversion of reserved forest land and to either restore such land to the Forest Department or recover its value where restoration is not possible in the broader public interest.
