Lok Sabha Question No. 289 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: Encroachment on Forest Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *289

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2016

## Encroachment on Forest Land

## * 289.  SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY:

Will  the Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government is aware of encroachment on forest land in various parts of the country  including  Jharkhand  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor, State/UT-wise;
- (b) the likely impact of such encroachment on the environment;
- (c)  whether  the  Forest  Departments  of  certain  States  including  Jharkhand  have  identified additional forest land in their respective States and if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (d) the measures taken by the Government to remove all the encroachment from forest land in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) to  (d)   The Statement is laid on the table of the house.

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## STATEMENT REFFERED TO PART (a) to (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  *289  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  06.12.2016  REGARDING  ENCROACHMENT  ON  FOREST LAND ASKED BY SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

- (a) As  per  the  information  provided  by  the  State/UT  Governments,  the  forest  area  under encroachment including Jharkhand is 14,839 Sq kms. The State/UT-wise details are given in Annexure-I.  The  sporadic  cases  of  encroachment  on  forest  land  take  place  on  account  of various biotic pressures.
- (b) Encroachment  of  forest  land  leads  to  conversion  of  forest  areas  into  non-forest  areas,  thus impacts flow of various ecosystem services from these areas.
- (c) & (d)  Protection  and  Management  of  Forests  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  the  concerned State/UT  Governments.  The  various  actions  to  remove  encroachment  are  taken  as  per  the provisions under various acts such as Indian Forest Act, 1927; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; Forest  (Conservation) Act, 1980, various rules made under these and State specific acts and rules.

Further to prevent fresh encroachments various measures are taken by State Forest Departments, such as survey and demarcation of forest areas, construction of boundary pillars, and check posts, use of modern technology (that includes wireless network, remote sensing, Geographical  Information  System,  Information  Technology,  Global  Positioning  System), improved mobility to the field staff by providing vehicles for patrolling. Local communities are  also  encouraged  and  involved  in  conservation,  protection  and  management  of  forests through Joint Forest Management Committees/ Village level committees.

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## ANNEXURE-I

## ANNEXURE REFFERED TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *289 DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  06.12.2016  REGARDING  ENCROACHMENT  ON  FOREST  LAND ASKED BY SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

| S. No.   | Name of States/UTs   | Area of Encroachment (in ha.)   | As on Date   |
|----------|----------------------|---------------------------------|--------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh       | 1690.72                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 2        | Bihar                | 132.21                          | 31.03.2015   |
| 3        | Chhattisgarh         | 19330.64                        | 31.01.2016   |
| 4        | Gujarat              | 34791.00                        | 19.03.2011   |
| 5        | Goa                  | Nil                             | 25.02.2013   |
| 6        | Haryana              | 520                             | 31.03.2016   |
| 7        | Himachal Pradesh     | 2339.02                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 8        | Jharkhand            | 27360.21                        | 31.07.2012   |
| 9        | Jammu &Kashmir       | 14345.02                        | 13.02.2014   |
| 10       | Karnataka            | 187372                          | 31.03.2016   |
| 11       | Kerala               | 56.43                           | 31.03.2016   |
| 12       | Madhya Pradesh       | 534717.28                       | 31.03.2016   |
| 13       | Maharashtra          | 67012.56                        | 31.03.2016   |
| 14       | Odisha               | 78505.08                        | 22.07.2011   |
| 15       | Punjab               | 6987.31                         | 31.03.2015   |
| 16       | Rajasthan            | 9003.91                         | 31.12.2015   |
| 17       | Tamil Nadu           | 15142                           | 16.07.2014   |
| 18       | Telangana            | 27775.64                        | 31.03.2016   |
| 19       | Uttar Pradesh        | 23869.50                        | 29.02.2016   |
| 20       | Uttarakhand          | 9646.37                         | 22.03.2016   |
| 21       | West Bengal          | 13779.49                        | 31.03.2015   |
| 22       | Arunachal Pradesh    | 58636.13                        | 31.03.2016   |
| 23       | Assam                | 317215.39                       | 17.03.2015   |
| 24       | Manipur              | 1356.80                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 25       | Meghalaya            | 9378.00                         | 12.03.2011   |
| 26       | Mizoram              | 9589.48                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 27       | Nagaland             | 8721.86                         | 26.07.2011   |
| 28       | Sikkim               | 2817.21                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 29       | Tripura              | 6.77                            | 08.08.2014   |
| 30       | A &NIslands          | 479.57                          | 31.03.2016   |
| 31       | Chandigarh           | 14.00                           | 31.03.2016   |
| 32       | D&N Haveli           | 614.40                          | 31.03.2013   |
| 33       | Daman &Diu           | 87.83                           | 28.09.2010   |
| 34       | Lakshadweep          | Nil                             | 28.08.2010   |
| 35       | Delhi                | 629.51                          | 11.04.2012   |
|          | TOTAL                | 1483923.34                      |              |