House built in Panna ESZ sparks outrage

An Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and his wife, who works at the Supreme Court, are under fire for constructing a house on disputed land inside the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Panna Tiger Reserve.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Villagers, activists, and even internal forest department records have flagged the construction for over three years, but officials failed to act. Only now, after multiple complaints and media scrutiny, has the Madhya Pradesh forest department sought an explanation from the couple.

The Daily Guardian has accessed petitions, official correspondence, and activist complaints showing that the issue has been raised repeatedly since 2022, yet decisive action was delayed.

The controversy began in August 2022, when villagers from Rajgarh (Typurian beat, Chandranagar range) petitioned against hotelstyle construction in Compartment 667, Khasra No. 1841. They alleged that the couple had encroached on forest and government land while cutting into plots earlier allotted to Dalit families. Villagers also said the construction blocked their traditional pathway to the Ken river at Hatauda Ghat, restricting water access for both residents and cattle.

Further petitions followed in November 2022, but no action was taken.

In November 2024, after sustained follow-ups, the then Field Director of Panna Tiger Reserve admitted in writing that illegal construction was underway without government approval. A departmental note dated 13 November 2024 confirmed that private parties were building on 8.388 hectares of disputed land in Khasra Nos. 1841/1/1, 1841/4/1/1, 1841/4/3/1 and 1841/4/3/2. The letter ordered a site inspection and factual report.