Forest encroacher fined

Kalaburagi: Chincholi JMFC court directed a 40-year-old man to pay Rs 60,000 as fine for illegally carrying out farming on reserve forest land in violation of forest rules at Chimmanachod village in Chincholi taluk. Ramshetty alias Ramu Rathod, a resident of Siddapur tanda, had chopped 14 varieties of trees for cultivation. Seeing him encroaching upon one acre of reserve forest land, Chincholi forest range officer filed a chargesheet. Chincholi JMFC court judge Dattakumar Javalekar ordered the accused to pay a fine of Rs 60,000. In case he fails to pay the amount, he will be imprisoned for a month. tnn