Lok Sabha Question No. 390 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Forest Conservation Act, 1980
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sushil Kumar Singh, Pinaki Misra

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *390

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2020

## Forest Conservation Act, 1980

## *390.   SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH: SHRI PINAKI MISRA

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

- (a) the year-wise extent of forest lands of each State diverted since 2008 under the Forest  Conservation  Act,  1980  for  non-forestry  activities  and  the  status  of compliance of FRA especially Community Forest Resource rights in case of forest land diversions;
- (b) the  forest  lands  diverted  for  non-forest  purpose  under  Forest  Conservation Act, 1980 since 1980, year-wise and State-wise;
- (c) whether the compensation for denying/ extinguishing of forest rights of forest dwellers  recognised  under  Scheduled  Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 has been provided, if so, the  amount  of  compensation  given  in  each  State  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Ministry has made exemptions to comply with FRA provisions in certain cases;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and action taken on violations thereof; and
- (f) whether there has been any reduction in total area under natural forests due to coal mines since 2000, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (f)    A statement is laid on the table of the House.

***

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 390 ASKED BY SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH AND SHRI PINAKI MISRA REGARDING 'FOREST CONSERVATION ACT, 1980' DUE FOR REPLY ON 20.03.2020

- (a) & (b) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched an online portal namely 'PARIVESH'  for submission and processing of online proposals for approval of use of forest land for  non-forestry purposes under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. As per the information available in the portal a total of 3616 projects involving 69414.32 hectares of forest land have been approved for non-forest use under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in the last five  years.  The  State/UT-wise  details  are annexed .  During  the  same  period Compensatory Afforestation (CA) has been stipulated over more than 126000 hectares. The State/UT-wise and year-wise details of CA stipulated over forest land and non-forest land in the last five years are annexed .

As per Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003 (and amendments made thereafter), it  is  mandatory  for  the  State  Government  to  submit  a  certificate  regarding complete compliance of the process of identification and settlement of rights under Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA)prior to approval under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

- (c) Land acquisition is undertaken by the Central and State Governments under various Central and State Acts, including the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act, 2013) and the provisions of the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 are implemented by appropriate Government as defined under Section 3 (e) of the said Act. As such information on State/UT wise land acquired, rehabilitation and resettlement are not maintained at Central Government level.

Under Section-5 of FRA, Gram Sabha is, inter-alia, empowered to ensure that the  decisions  taken  in  Gram  Sabha  to  regulate  access  to  community  forest resources  and  stop  any  activity  which  adversely  affects  the  wild  animals, forest and the biodiversity are complied with.

- (d)& (e) No exemption has been provided for compliance with FRA provisions.
- (f) Site-specific non-forestry activities including coal mining  are generally permitted in forest areas as per the provisions under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. In such cases, in order to compensate the loss of natural forest areas and ecosystem services Net Present Value (NPV) is levied and Compensatory Afforestation (CA) over equivalent non-forest land or double degraded forest land is stipulated. In addition, adequate safeguards and appropriate mitigation measures are also stipulated on case to case basis such as:
- i. implementation of Catchment Area Treatment Plan,
- ii. implementation of Soil and Moisture Conservation activities,
- iii. maintenance of safety zone etc.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *390 BY SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH AND SHRI PINAKI MISHRA REGARDING 'FOREST CONSREVATION ACT, 1980' DUE FOR REPLY ON 20.03.2020

| S. No.                | STATE/UTs           | Total No. of Projects accorded Final Approval (2014 to 2019)   | 2014-2015                  | 2015-2016                  | 2015-2016                  | 2016-2017                  | 2016-2017                  | 2017-2018                  | 2017-2018                  | 2018-2019                  | Grand Total                | Grand Total                |
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
| S. No.                | STATE/UTs           |                                                                | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation | Compensatory Afforestation |
| S. No.                | STATE/UTs           |                                                                | *NFL **DFL                 | *NFL                       | **DFL                      | *NFL                       | **DFL                      | *NFL                       | **DFL                      | *NFL **DFL                 | *NFL                       | **DFL                      |
| 1                     | Andaman and Nicobar | 6                                                              | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP NEP                    | 2.77                       | NEP                        | 2.77                       | NEP                        |
| 2                     | Andhra Pradesh      | 42                                                             | 377.39 17.50               | 1739.30                    | 23.75                      | NEP                        | NEP                        | 56.82 2385.06              | 392.29                     | 5.98                       | 2565.79                    | 2432.29                    |
| 3                     | Arunachal Pradesh   | 21                                                             | NEP 739.53                 | NEP                        | 125.64                     | NEP                        | 549.07                     | NEP 976.36                 | NEP                        | 155.00                     | NEP                        | 2545.60                    |
| 4                     | Assam               | 1                                                              | NEP 4.00                   | NEP                        | 50.32                      | 8.00 90.42                 |                            | 1.00 180.00                | 6.00                       | 50.00                      | 15.00                      | 374.74                     |
| 5                     | Bihar               | 153                                                            | 60.41 174.03               | NEP                        | 71.66                      | NEP 313.72                 |                            | NEP 846.79                 | 4.70                       | 637.60                     | 65.11                      | 2043.80                    |
| 6 Chandigarh          | 3                   | NEP                                                            | 6.20                       | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP 6.20                   |                            |
| 7 Chhattisgarh        | 45                  |                                                                | 335.81 1198.65             | 72.95 4983.29              | 96.48                      | 1487.25                    | 126.70                     | 1061.17                    | 51.36                      | 2902.86                    | 683.30                     | 11633.21                   |
| 8 Dadra &Nagar Haveli |                     | 10 NEP                                                         | 14.79                      | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | 1.00                       | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | 15.79                      |
| 9 Daman and Diu       | 0                   | NEP                                                            | NEP                        | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        |
| 10 Delhi              |                     | 0                                                              | 19.90 NEP                  | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | 34.22                      | NEP                        | 54.12                      | NEP                        |
| 11 Goa                |                     | 9                                                              | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP NEP                    |                            | NEP                        | 40.09 NEP                  | NEP                        | NEP                        | 40.09                      | NEP                        |
| 12 Gujarat            |                     | 143 248.15                                                     | 691.89                     | 120.82                     | 737.57                     | 2.16                       | 604.73                     | 12.75 271.97               | 1064.93                    | 244.96                     | 1448.81                    | 2551.12                    |
| 13 Haryana            | 1131                | NEP                                                            | 184.59                     | NEP 924.64                 | NEP                        | 480.43                     | NEP                        | 676.97                     | 7.90                       | 1026.15                    | 7.90                       | 3292.78                    |
| 14                    | Himachal Pradesh    | 148                                                            | NEP 719.10                 | 60.29                      | 630.49                     | NEP                        | 253.86 NEP                 | 709.92                     | 41.47                      | 1470.92                    | 101.76                     | 3784.29                    |
| 15                    | Jammu and Kashmir   | 0                                                              | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP NEP                    | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        | NEP                        |

| 16          | Jharkhand      |   41 | NEP     | 48.00    | 4.53    | 508.22   | 3.67    | 128.93   | 298.53   | 105.41   | 143.07   | 2277.54   | 449.80   | 3068.11   |
|-------------|----------------|------|---------|----------|---------|----------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------|-----------|----------|-----------|
| 17          | Karnataka      |   67 | 16.40   | 118.012  | 232.44  | 24.04    | 95.20   | 337.51   | 261.77   | 77.98    | 106.48   | 2.27      | 712.28   | 559.81    |
| 18          | Kerala         |    8 | 4.93    | NEP      | 1.96    | 18.00    | NEP     | 8.80     | NEP      | NEP      | 0.50     | NEP       | 7.39     | 26.80     |
| 19          | Lakshadweep    |    0 | NEP     | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | NEP       | NEP      | NEP       |
| 20          | Madhya Pradesh |  314 | 1073.86 | 2093.90  | 1224.71 | 779.89   | 584.68  | 256.89   | 419.24   | 1658.71  | 1559.30  | 9859.65   | 4861.78  | 14649.03  |
| 21          | Maharashtra    |   44 | 472.16  | 1596.65  | 799.65  | 890.03   | 1245.09 | 386.68   | 817.15   | 551.89   | 571.30   | 1690.16   | 3905.37  | 5115.42   |
| 22          | Manipur        |    9 | NEP     | 625.40   | NEP     | 150.10   | NEP     | 380.49   | NEP      | 2266.25  | NEP      | NEP       | NEP      | 3422.24   |
| 23          | Meghalaya      |    2 | 138.11  | NEP      | NEP     | 12.36    | 4.82    | 8.50     | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | 9.74      | 142.93   | 30.60     |
| 24          | Mizoram        |    2 | NEP     | 169.76   | NEP     | NEP      | NEP     | 3.85     | NEP      | 18.78    | 17.50    | NEP       | 17.50    | 192.39    |
| 25          | Nagaland       |    0 | NEP     | 0.00     | NEP     | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | NEP       | NEP      | NEP       |
| 26          | Odisha         |   87 | 2436.70 | 3726.92  | 424.96  | 658.00   | 78.65   | 433.06   | 1183.23  | 1589.88  | 2300.32  | 5540.12   | 6423.86  | 11947.98  |
| 27          | Pondicherry    |    0 | NEP     | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | NEP      | NEP       | NEP      | NEP       |
| 28          | Punjab         |  845 | NEP     | 553.65   | NEP     | 357.64   | NEP     | 149.56   | 46.54    | 1424.42  | 4.93     | 1272.91   | 51.47    | 3758.18   |
| 29          | Rajasthan      |   97 | 228.76  | 2801.00  | NEP     | 1973.99  | 2172.01 | 16.57    | NEP      | 334.32   | 266.40   | 252.99    | 2667.17  | 5378.88   |
| 30          | Sikkim         |   11 | 6.06    | NEP      | NEP     | 108.22   | NEP     | 45.55    | NEP      | 117.71   | NEP      | 51.64     | 6.06     | 323.12    |
| 31          | Tamil Nadu     |   17 | 43.92   | 27.10    | NEP     | 64.38    | NEP     | 19.84    | NEP      | NEP      | 13.86    | 20.00     | 57.78    | 131.32    |
| 32          | Telangana      |   33 | 161.38  | NEP      | 1941.76 | 3.34     | 106.00  | 10.06    | 3951.57  | 2055.00  | 1978.32  | 1919.08   | 8139.02  | 3987.48   |
| 33          | Tripura        |   13 | 23.07   | 3.23     | NEP     | 469.53   | NEP     | 28.22    | NEP      | 84.01    | 1.00     | 15.36     | 24.07    | 600.35    |
| 34          | Uttar Pradesh  |    8 | 67.30   | 998.37   | NEP     | 690.28   | NEP     | 340.10   | NEP      | 76.33    | 167.18   | 922.64    | 234.48   | 3027.73   |
| 35          | Uttarakhand    |  293 | 365.06  | 278.75   | 827.07  | 2760.06  | 273.08  | NEP      | 2273.95  | NEP      | 768.53   | 606.66    | 4507.69  | 3645.46   |
| 36          | West Bengal    |   13 | 1.56    | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | 47.49   | 249.74   | NEP      | 38.20    | NEP      | 56.06     | 49.06    | 344.00    |
| Grand Total | Grand Total    | 3616 | 6080.94 | 16791.02 | 7450.45 | 17015.43 | 4717.32 | 6583.82  | 9489.33  | 17509.14 | 9504.32  | 30990.29  | 37242.36 | 88889.71  |

*NFL-Non Forest land **DFL - Degraded Forest land NEP - No eligible Proposal under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was approved.