Lok Sabha Question No. 4239 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Deforestation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

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

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4239

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019

## Deforestation

## 4239. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

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

- (a) the  number  of  trees  cut  for  paper  and  infrastructure  development  during  the  last decade, State-wise;
- (b) the number of trees planted annually during the last decade, State-wise;
- (c) whether the total forest cover of the country is declining; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  other  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  check deforestation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a)& (b) The Government Policy is to ensure more trees are planted than removed under different developmental proposals approved under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.  In  the  last  decade  38,22,22,786number  of  trees  were  removed  and plantation of more than 801,62,26,022trees have been stipulated under compensatory afforestation. The details as received from states/UTs are annexed.
- (c) & (d) The trees are removed only when it is absolutely necessary. Moreover, as per the Government  policy,  more  trees  are  planted  than  number  of  trees  approved  for removal.This policy has contributed significantly towards increase in forest and tree cover in the country.Government's efforts to plant more trees than removed has  also  been  reflected  in  the  assessments  in  biennial  India  State  of  Forest Reports (ISFR) by Forest Survey of India.As per the biennial edition of ISFR of 2017, the forest and tree cover has increased by 8021 square km as compared to that of ISFR 2015 assessment.

Government  of  India,as  per  the  provisions  under  Forest  (Conservation)  Act, 1980, accords prior permissionfor change in land use from forest to non-forest. Such  permissions  are  accorded  subject  to  recommendation  of  the  concerned State/UT  Government  and  for  unavoidable  developmental  projects/purposes. While according such permissions, it is ensured that minimum number of trees are removed which are inevitable.

Following measures are taken to ensure removal of minimum number of trees and to check deforestation:

- i) The trees are removed only when it is absolutely necessary.
2. ii) Wherever possible, trees marked for removal are translocated.
3. iii) All  such  removal  and  translocation  of  trees  are  taken-up  under  the strict supervision of the concerned State Forest Department.
4. iv) To check illicit felling, the matter is monitoredand controlled by wellorganized Forest Department in every State/UT. Offenses arising out of illicit felling are dealt under India Forest Act, 1927 and other State specific acts etc. as applicable.

***

| Annexure                                                                                                                                                      | Annexure                                                                                                                                                      | Annexure                                                                                                                                                      | Annexure                                                                                                                                                      |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Annexure referred in the answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 4239 asked by Shri Dushyant Singh due for answer on 13.12.2019 regarding 'Deforestation'. | Annexure referred in the answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 4239 asked by Shri Dushyant Singh due for answer on 13.12.2019 regarding 'Deforestation'. | Annexure referred in the answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 4239 asked by Shri Dushyant Singh due for answer on 13.12.2019 regarding 'Deforestation'. | Annexure referred in the answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 4239 asked by Shri Dushyant Singh due for answer on 13.12.2019 regarding 'Deforestation'. |
| S. No.                                                                                                                                                        | Name of State/UT                                                                                                                                              | No of trees removed in the last decade                                                                                                                        | Total no. of trees stipulated for plantation in last decade                                                                                                   |
| Andaman and Nicobar                                                                                                                                           | 12576                                                                                                                                                         | 116250                                                                                                                                                        | 1                                                                                                                                                             |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                | 248335                                                                                                                                                        | 743313042                                                                                                                                                     | 2                                                                                                                                                             |
| Assam                                                                                                                                                         | 8888899                                                                                                                                                       | 97728812                                                                                                                                                      | 3                                                                                                                                                             |
| Bihar                                                                                                                                                         | 279221                                                                                                                                                        | 228307300                                                                                                                                                     | 4                                                                                                                                                             |
| Chandigarh                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                             | 739517                                                                                                                                                        | 5                                                                                                                                                             |
| Delhi                                                                                                                                                         | 70183                                                                                                                                                         | 12410604                                                                                                                                                      | 6                                                                                                                                                             |
| Goa                                                                                                                                                           | 127939                                                                                                                                                        | 2251396                                                                                                                                                       | 7                                                                                                                                                             |
| Gujarat                                                                                                                                                       | 359134                                                                                                                                                        | 1299652000                                                                                                                                                    | 8                                                                                                                                                             |
| Haryana                                                                                                                                                       | 2081517                                                                                                                                                       | 157762167                                                                                                                                                     | 9                                                                                                                                                             |
| Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                              | 893684                                                                                                                                                        | 141784839                                                                                                                                                     | 10                                                                                                                                                            |
| Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                     | 309218                                                                                                                                                        | 224453988                                                                                                                                                     | 11                                                                                                                                                            |
| Karnataka                                                                                                                                                     | 23066762                                                                                                                                                      | 628976000                                                                                                                                                     | 12                                                                                                                                                            |
| Lakshadweep                                                                                                                                                   | 0                                                                                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                                                             | 13                                                                                                                                                            |
| Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                   | 1236587                                                                                                                                                       | 858064000                                                                                                                                                     | 14                                                                                                                                                            |
| Manipur                                                                                                                                                       | 127722                                                                                                                                                        | 101884879                                                                                                                                                     | 15                                                                                                                                                            |

| 16            | Meghalaya   |     151433 |     570220 |
|---------------|-------------|------------|------------|
| Mizoram       | 29021       |   37944603 |         17 |
| Nagaland      | 1030000     |     610000 |         18 |
| Pondicherry   | 0           |     335000 |         19 |
| Punjab        | 537481      |   57043105 |         20 |
| Rajasthan     | 1123878     |  220282500 |         21 |
| Sikkim        | 160538      |   28035000 |         22 |
| Tamilnadu     | 2102072     |  167900000 |         23 |
| Telangana     | 334370000   | 1900000000 |         24 |
| Tripura       | 19270       |   43299000 |         25 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 4146400     |  688841600 |         26 |
| Uttarakhand   | 795510      |  193189000 |         27 |
| West Bengal   | 55406       |  180731200 |         28 |
| Grand Total   | Grand Total |  382222786 | 8016226022 |