Lok Sabha Question No. 3559 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-16
Subject: Encroachment of Forest Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BHAGWANTH KHUBA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3559 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2018

## Encroachment of Forest Land

## 3559.  SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA:

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

- (a) whether forest land in the country has been encroached for mining activities leading to the displacement of inhabitants and its cascading effect on the depletion of rainfall and environment pollution;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) to (c) The  forest  area  diverted  for  mining  and  allied  activities  in  various  States  is annexed.

The following corrective measures taken by the Government are:

- (i) The  prior  approval  for  diversion  of  forest  land  has  been  granted  by  the Ministry under section 2(ii) of the forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
- (ii) The  Mining  is  done  only  after  getting  the  Environment  Clearances  under Environment Protection Act, Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1974 & Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1981.
- (iii) There is no conclusive evidence in the knowledge of Ministry that the mining has cascading impact on depletion of rainfall and environmental pollution.
- (iv) Compensatory afforestation for the forest land diverted is undertaken by the State Government on non-forest and degraded forest land along with soil & moisture  conservation,  catchment  treatment  etc.  to  offset  the  loss  due  to diversion of forest mining.

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ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFFERED TO IN REPLY OF PART (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3559 DUE FOR 16.03.2018 REGARDING ENCROACHMENT OF FOREST LAND ASKED BY SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA

| CATEGORY : MINING   | CATEGORY : MINING   | DURING THE PERIOD : 01/01/2015 TO 31/12/2017   | DURING THE PERIOD : 01/01/2015 TO 31/12/2017   |
|---------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| S. NO.              | STATE / UT          | APPROVED                                       | APPROVED                                       |
| S. NO.              | STATE / UT          | NO. OF CASES                                   | TOTAL LAND DIVERTED (HA.)                      |
| 1                   | ANDHRA PRADESH      | 7                                              | 1241.69                                        |
| 2                   | CHHATTISGARH        | 11                                             | 1689.65                                        |
| 3                   | GOA                 | 1                                              | 17.31                                          |
| 4                   | HIMACHAL PRADESH    | 1                                              | 84.36                                          |
| 5                   | JHARKHAND           | 4                                              | 314.16                                         |
| 6                   | KARNATAKA           | 4                                              | 147.65                                         |
| 7                   | MADHYA PRADESH      | 11                                             | 773.26                                         |
| 8                   | MAHARASHTRA         | 6                                              | 482.00                                         |
| 9                   | MEGHALAYA           | 2                                              | 142.93                                         |
| 10                  | ORISSA              | 18                                             | 2270.61                                        |
| 11                  | RAJASTHAN           | 1                                              | 114.94                                         |
| 12                  | TELANGANA           | 6                                              | 1930.34                                        |
| 13                  | UTTARAKHAND         | 1                                              | 35.36                                          |
| 14                  | WEST BENGAL         | 4                                              | 257.95                                         |
| TOTAL               | TOTAL               | 77                                             | 9502.20                                        |

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