Lok Sabha Question No. 1970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Mangrove Forests
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Geetha Viswanath Vanga

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1970

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2019

## Mangrove Forests

1970.  SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH:

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

- (a)    the  details  of  the  increase,  if  any,  in  the  Mangrove  forests  in  Andhra  Pradesh  as compared to other States like Telangana especially in view of the increasing health problems faced by people especially in regions like Amravathi which is emerging as capital of Andhra Pradesh; and
- (b)   the details of the allocation of funds/sanction of funds in Andhra Pradesh during the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year  for  increasing  mangrove  forests  and  the results achieved therein, district-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)   As per the records available with the Ministry and according to the India State of  Forest  Report  (ISFR)  2017,  published  by  the  Forest  Survey  of  India,  the mangrove cover in Andhra Pradesh has increased by 37 sq. km. in year 2017 as compared to the mangrove cover assessed in year 2015. Details of the mangrove cover in other States are as follows:

(Area in sq. km.)

| State/UT       |   Assessment Year |   Assessment Year | Assessment Year         |
|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|
| State/UT       |              2015 |              2017 | Change w.r.t. ISFR 2015 |
| Andhra Pradesh |               367 |               404 | 37                      |
| Goa            |                26 |                26 | 0                       |
| Gujarat        |              1107 |              1140 | 33                      |
| Karnataka      |                 3 |                10 | 7                       |
| Kerala         |                 9 |                 9 | 0                       |
| Maharashtra    |               222 |               304 | 82                      |
| Odisha         |               231 |               243 | 12                      |
| Tamil Nadu     |                47 |                49 | 2                       |
| West Bengal    |              2106 |              2114 | 8                       |
| A&N Islands    |               617 |               617 | 0                       |
| Daman &Diu     |                 3 |                 3 | 0                       |
| Puducherry     |                 2 |                 2 | 0                       |
| Total          |              4740 |              4921 | 181                     |

Further, there are no mangrove forest exists in the Telangana State. In addition, Amravathi is not an identified mangrove site for development of mangroves and there are also no mangrove forests exists.

(b)  During  2016-17,  an  amount  of  ₹83.10  Lakh  has  been  released  to  the  State Government of Andhra Pradesh for conservation and development of mangroves. This amount has been carry forwarded during the financial year 2017-18 due to non-utilization during 2016-17. No funds have been released during the financial year  2018-19  and  2019-20  due  to  non-convened  of  the  State  Level  Steering Committee (SLSC) meeting by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. Districtwise details of the funds sanctioned and released during the last three years are as follows:

| Districts               | 2016 -2017        | 2016 -2017      | 2017 -2018                   | 2018-2019   | 2019-2020   |
|-------------------------|-------------------|-----------------|------------------------------|-------------|-------------|
|                         | Amount Sanctioned | Amount Released |                              |             |             |
| East Godavari (Coringa) | ₹1,01,00,000      | ₹60,60,000      | Carry forwarded from 2016-17 | -           | -           |
| Krishna                 | ₹37,50,000        | * ₹22,50,000    | Carry forwarded from 2016-17 | -           | -           |
| Total                   | ₹1,38,50,000      | * ₹83,10,000    | Carry forwarded from 2016-17 | -           | -           |

***