Sat Aug 02 09:52:02 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by a rewritten news article based on that summary:
**Summary:**
The article reports on the Karnataka Forest Department clearing 96 acres of encroached forest land near Hassan, Karnataka on August 1, 2025. The land, located in Savanthanahalli, had been illegally cultivated by 68 people after a plantation was established there in 1984. The action followed a 2017 directive from the Karnataka Lokayukta to recover the land. A large team of forest officials, police, and revenue officers participated in the operation, and saplings were replanted after the clearing.
**News Article:**
**Karnataka Forest Department Reclaims Encroached Land Near Hassan**
**Shivamogga, August 2, 2025 (The Hindu)** – The Karnataka Forest Department successfully cleared 96 acres of encroached forest land near Hassan on August 1, 2025, officials announced today. The operation, conducted in Savanthanahalli, Shantigrama hobli, saw the removal of illegal cultivations carried out by 68 individuals.
According to the Forest Department, the land, designated as survey number 99, had been the site of a plantation established in 1984. However, over the years, it was gradually encroached upon.
“We acted on a 2017 directive from the Karnataka Lokayukta to recover this vital forest area,” stated a Forest Department spokesperson. The Lokayukta’s order came after a petition highlighted the illegal encroachments.
The operation involved a coordinated effort from 140 Forest Department officers, 160 police personnel, and officers from the Revenue Department. Deputy Conservator of Forests Sourabh Kumar led the team. Superintendent of Police Mohammed Sujeetha was also present during the land clearing.
Following the removal of the encroachments, the Forest Department immediately began replanting saplings on the recovered land, signaling a commitment to restoring the area’s natural ecosystem.
First Piper 