Bengaluru: The Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) has demanded that the state govt penalise revenue officials who allegedly “tampered” with land records to project forest land as non-forest land.The alleged irregularity was discovered when the state govt submitted a proposal to the Centre to divert forest land in Hosanagara taluk, Shivamogga district, to construct a 35km two-lane road along NH-766C. MoEFCC has granted “conditional” approval for the project whilst demanding strict action against revenue officials concerned, alongside measures to safeguard the Western Ghats ecosystem.The proposal, submitted via the forest department, requested 25.8 hectares of forest land in Western Ghats to construct a two-lane road with paved shoulders from Adagodi (55.6km) to Mavinakoppa (90.7km) on NH-766C. Land requirement for the project, which traverses the Sharavathi river’s backwaters, increased from the initial 18.8 hectares.While reviewing the proposal in March this year, the MOEFCC regional empowered committee (REC) found officials had tampered with forest land records. “Since revenue records were changed from ‘forest’ to ‘non-forest’ by the revenue department, necessary action may be initiated against the authorities concerned as per relevant rules and acts, under intimation to this office,” said a letter by deputy inspector general of forests (central) with MOEFCC.REC’s approval for the project came with specific directions to the state. These included: “A slope stabilisation plan comprising both engineering and biological measures to be prepared in consultation with the local forest authorities as the area is part of the Western Ghats and highly prone to landslides. The user agency shall also have an appropriate muck disposal plan incorporated into the proposal. Necessary provisions to be made for the unrestricted movement of arboreal animals in the forest and the user agency should include necessary budgetary provisions for these mitigation plans in their proposal.“MoEFCC also instructed the state govt to fence designated non-forest land (53 hectares) in Kannuru village, Sagar taluk of Shivamogga, offered as compensatory afforestation. Additionally, the Centre requested a response from the state govt regarding concerns raised by civilian V Ganapathi.