Lok Sabha Question No. 166 (STARRED), answered on 2018-12-21
Subject: Cutting of Trees
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BALABHADRA MAJHI, VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *166

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2018

## Cutting of Trees

## *166.  SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI: SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:

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

- (a)  whether there are no fruitful results in stopping the menace of cutting of trees in spite of strict provision laid down in this regard, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether any study has been conducted to ascertain the reasons for failure in this regard in spite of increase in plantation of trees, if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (c)  whether  data  about  cutting  down  of  trees  and  violation  of  norms  in  this  regard  is  not available  with  the  Union  Government,  if  so,  the  reasons  therefor  and  the  reaction  of  the Government thereto;
- (d) the basis on which the Government formulates forest policies in the absence of such data; and
- (e) the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to (e) The statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFFERED  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  to  (e)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION No.  *166  DUE FOR  21.12.2018  REGARDING  CUTTING  OF TREES  ASKED  BY  SHRI  BALABHADRA  MAJHI  AND  SHRI  VIJAY  KUMAR HANSDAK

- (a) Protection and management of trees is primarily the responsibility of State /Union Territory  Governments. There  are  strong  legal  frameworks  for  protection  and management  of  tree  resources  of  the  country  which  include  the  National  Forest Policy,1988,  Indian  Forest  Act,  1927,  Forest  (Conservation)  Act,  1980,  Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and State Forest Acts/State Specific Tree Preservation Acts and Rules, etc. The State /UT Government take appropriate actions in accordance with the provisions made under these acts/ rules for regulating felling of trees.
- (b) No such study has been conducted in this regard. However, the Forest survey of India, Dehradun an institution under the MoEF&CC carries out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in India State of  Forest  Report (ISFR). As per the latest report i.e. ISFR-2017, the total forest and tree cover in the country is 8,02,088 square kilometers which is 24.39 per cent of  the  geographical  are  of  the  country.  There  is  an  increase  of  8021  square kilometers of total forest and tree cover compared to that of ISFR-2015.
- (c) The  implementation  of  various  Acts,  Rules  and  regulation,  to  check  illegal  tree felling  is  the  responsibility  of  the  concerned  State/UT  Governments.  The  data regarding cutting of trees is not maintained by the Ministry.
- (d) & (e) National  Forest  policy  is  meant  for  giving  a  broader  policy  framework  regarding management of forests and wildlife in the country. Forest Policy is not specifically meant only for protection of trees. Protection of trees and forests is only a part of forest management. The existing National Forest Policy, 1988 envisages that onethird of geographical area of the country should be under forest or tree cover. At present, 24.39 per cent of the geographical area of the country is under forest and tree cover. The balance nine percent can be achieved through taking up plantation/afforestation  outside  the  forests  on  both  government  and  private  land including restocking of natural forests and also by increasing forest and tree cover by raising new mixed plantation.

A new national forest policy 2018 has been proposed which proposes sustainable management of forests and management of trees outside forests. A National Forest Ecosystem  Management  Information  system  will  also  be  developed  to  ensure  a regular  flow  of  reliable  data  from  the  States  and  other  sources  and  making  it available  in  the  public  domain.  This  will  be  helpful  for  scientific  planning  and management of forests.

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