Forest land judgment: Dont panic, Department tells flat owners

  • 24/03/2008

  • Indian Express (Mumbai)

"People need not worry,' says Deputy Conservator of Forests Bhaskarrao Walimbe on the Bombay High Court's order on Monday declaring over 100 acres of land suitable for acquisition as forest land. According to Walimbe, who followed up the case for the Forest Department at the Bombay High Court after residents and developers filed a petition challenging notices from the state government, private flat owners and housing societies must now approach the Revenue Department to check whether the land they occupy actually falls under the judgment. "Affected people will have to approach the forest department. While the land, on records, would remain in the name of the forest department, the structures would be regularised.' The regularization would incur a payment of the