Lok Sabha Question No. 1098 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-08
Subject: Deforestation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: OM BIRLA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  1098 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2019

## Deforestation

## 1098.    SHRI OM BIRLA:

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

- (a) the details of actual forest cover against the targets fixed for forest cover during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
- (b) whether large-scale deforestation has taken place in the country;
- (c) if so, the details of the area where denudation of forests has taken place during the last three years, State-wise along with the reasons therefor;
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  further  denudation  of  forest  area  in  the country;
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  launch  a  new  initiative  involving  local-level institutions and private sector to expand forest cover in the country, especially in the rural areas; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof including the efforts made by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, a subordinate organization under the Ministry 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 (forest cover 708273 square kilometer, tree cover 93815 square kilometer) which is 24.39% of the geographical area of the country.  There is an increase of 8021 square kilometer (forest cover 6778 square kilometer, tree cover 1243 square kilometer) of total forest and tree cover  compared  to  that  of  ISFR-2015.    The  State/UT-wise  details  of  forest  cover  and changes in forest cover  as per ISFR-2015 assessment and 2017 assessment is given in Annexure-I.
- (b) to (d)   For various developmental activities in the country, permission for diversion of the forest

is granted by the Central Government under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The forest land diverted under Forest Conservation Act, 1980 during the period from 01.01.2015 to 05.02.2019 is 54648.54 hectares. The State/UTs wise details are given in Annexure-II . To compensate for the loss of forest cover, compensatory afforestation on equal area of non-forest land and degraded forest land is taken up by the State Government .

- (e) to (f)    To further increase the forest cover in the country, afforestation programmes are being taken  up  under  various  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  such  as  National  Afforestation Programme (NAP) and Green India Mission (GIM) being implemented by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Afforestation activities are also taken up under various programmes/funding sources such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund.  National  Mission  for  a  Green  India (GIM) is one of the eight Missions outlined under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.  It aims  at protecting, restoring and  enhancing  India's forest cover  and responding to Climate Change. GIM activities were started in the Financial Year 201516.

National Afforestation Programme (NAP) of the Ministry of Environment & Forests is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests and adjoining areas through people's participation.

************

## Changes in Forest Cover of States/UTs between 2015 and 2017 assessments

(area in sq km)

| State             | Geographical Area as per   | 2015 Assessment   | 2015 Assessment   | 2015 Assessment   | 2015 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | Change   | Change   | Change   | Change       |
|-------------------|----------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|----------|----------|----------|--------------|
| State             | census                     | VDF               | MDF               | OF                | Total Forest      | VDF               | MDF               | OF                | Total Forest      | VDF      | MDF      | OF       | Total Change |
| Andhra Pradesh    | 162968                     | 421               | 14352             | 11233             | 26006             | 1957              | 14051             | 12139             | 28147             | 1536     | -301     | 906      | 2141         |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 83743                      | 20806             | 31181             | 15167             | 67154             | 20721             | 30955             | 15288             | 66964             | -85      | -226     | 121      | -190         |
| Assam             | 78438                      | 1425              | 11256             | 14857             | 27538             | 2797              | 10192             | 15116             | 28105             | 1372     | -1064    | 259      | 567          |
| Bihar             | 94163                      | 248               | 3362              | 3644              | 7254              | 332               | 3260              | 3707              | 7299              | 84       | -102     | 63       | 45           |
| Chhattisgarh      | 135192                     | 7001              | 32305             | 16253             | 55559             | 7064              | 32215             | 16268             | 55547             | 63       | -90      | 15       | -12          |
| Delhi             | 1483                       | 6.94              | 57.15             | 124.68            | 188.77            | 6.72              | 56.24             | 129.45            | 192.41            | -0.22    | -0.91    | 4.77     | 3.64         |
| Goa               | 3702                       | 536               | 580               | 1094              | 2210              | 538               | 576               | 1115              | 2229              | 2        | -4       | 21       | 19           |
| Gujarat           | 196244                     | 378               | 5198              | 9134              | 14710             | 378               | 5200              | 9179              | 14757             | 0        | 2        | 45       | 47           |
| Haryana           | 44212                      | 28                | 444               | 1108              | 1580              | 28                | 452               | 1108              | 1588              | 0        | 8        | 0        | 8            |
| Himachal Pradesh  | 55673                      | 3225              | 6387              | 5095              | 14707             | 3110              | 6705              | 5285              | 15100             | -115     | 318      | 190      | 393          |
| Jammu & Kashmir * | 222236                     | 4061              | 8815              | 10112             | 22988             | 4075              | 8579              | 10587             | 23241             | 14       | -236     | 475      | 253          |
| Jharkhand         | 79716                      | 2601              | 9692              | 11231             | 23524             | 2598              | 9686              | 11269             | 23553             | -3       | -6       | 38       | 29           |
| Karnataka         | 191791                     | 1783              | 20177             | 14489             | 36449             | 4502              | 20444             | 12604             | 37550             | 2719     | 267      | 1885     | 1101         |
| Kerala            | 38852                      | 1529              | 9328              | 8421              | 19278             | 1663              | 9407              | 9251              | 20321             | 134      | 79       | 830      | 1043         |
| Madhya Pradesh    | 308252                     | 6586              | 34837             | 36003             | 77426             | 6563              | 34571             | 36280             | 77414             | -23      | -266     | 277      | -12          |
| Maharashtra       | 307713                     | 8685              | 20792             | 21222             | 50699             | 8736              | 20652             | 21294             | 50682             | 51       | -140     | 72       | -17          |
| Manipur           | 22327                      | 729               | 5964              | 10390             | 17083             | 908               | 6510              | 9928              | 17346             | 179      | 546      | -462     | 263          |
| Meghalaya         | 22429                      | 417               | 9555              | 7290              | 17262             | 453               | 9386              | 7307              | 17146             | 36       | -169     | 17       | -116         |
| Mizoram           | 21081                      | 135               | 5800              | 12782             | 18717             | 131               | 5861              | 12194             | 18186             | -4       | 61       | -588     | -531         |
| Nagaland          | 16579                      | 1284              | 4690              | 6965              | 12939             | 1279              | 4587              | 6623              | 12489             | -5       | -103     | -342     | -450         |
| Odisha            | 155707                     | 6985              | 21470             | 22005             | 50460             | 6967              | 21370             | 23008             | 51345             | -18      | -100     | 1003     | 885          |
| Punjab            | 50362                      | 0                 | 733               | 1038              | 1771              | 8                 | 806               | 1023              | 1837              | 8        | 73       | -15      | 66           |

|                      | Geographical Area   | 2015 Assessment   | 2015 Assessment   | 2015 Assessment   | 2015 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | 2017 Assessment   | Change   | Change   | Change   | Change       |
|----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|----------|----------|----------|--------------|
| State                | as per census       | VDF               | MDF               | OF                | Total Forest      | VDF               | MDF               | OF                | Total Forest      | VDF      | MDF      | OF       | Total Change |
| Rajasthan            | 342239              | 77                | 4414              | 11615             | 16106             | 78                | 4340              | 12154             | 16572             | 1        | -74      | 539      | 466          |
| Sikkim               | 7096                | 499               | 2157              | 697               | 3353              | 1081              | 1575              | 688               | 3344              | 582      | -582     | -9       | -9           |
| Tamil Nadu           | 130060              | 3005              | 10472             | 12731             | 26208             | 3672              | 10979             | 11630             | 26281             | 667      | 507      | 1101     | 73           |
| Telangana            | 112077              | 465               | 11340             | 8049              | 19854             | 1596              | 8738              | 10085             | 20419             | 1131     | -2602    | 2036     | 565          |
| Tripura              | 10486               | 110               | 4669              | 3111              | 7890              | 656               | 5246              | 1824              | 7726              | 546      | 577      | 1287     | -164         |
| Uttar Pradesh        | 240928              | 2171              | 4043              | 8187              | 14401             | 2617              | 4069              | 7993              | 14679             | 446      | 26       | -194     | 278          |
| Uttarakhand          | 53483               | 4804              | 13662             | 5806              | 24272             | 4969              | 12884             | 6442              | 24295             | 165      | -778     | 636      | 23           |
| West Bengal          | 88752               | 2943              | 4176              | 9707              | 16826             | 2994              | 4147              | 9706              | 16847             | 51       | -29      | -1       | 21           |
| A&N Islands          | 8249                | 5686              | 685               | 380               | 6751              | 5678              | 684               | 380               | 6742              | -8       | -1       | 0        | -9           |
| Chandigarh           | 114                 | 1.36              | 13.92             | 6.38              | 21.66             | 1.36              | 13.82             | 6.38              | 21.56             | 0        | -0.1     | 0        | -0.1         |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 491                 | 0                 | 80                | 126               | 206               | 0                 | 80                | 127               | 207               | 0        | 0        | 1        | 1            |
| Daman & Diu          | 111                 | 1.4               | 5.82              | 12.39             | 19.61             | 1.4               | 5.82              | 13.27             | 20.49             | 0        | 0        | 0.88     | 0.88         |
| Lakshadweep          | 30                  | 0                 | 17.22             | 9.84              | 27.06             | 0                 | 17.04             | 10.06             | 27.1              | 0        | -0.18    | 0.22     | 0.04         |
| Puducherry           | 490                 | 0                 | 28.78             | 28.17             | 56.95             | 0                 | 17.6              | 36.07             | 53.67             | 0        | -11.18   | 7.9      | -3.28        |
| Grand Total          | 3287469             | 88633             | 312739            | 300123            | 701495            | 98158             | 308318            | 301797            | 708273            | 9525 #   | -4421    | 1674     | 6778         |

* Includes Jammu & Kashmir area outside LoC that is under illegal occupation of Pakistan and China.

# Difference in the totals is due to rounding off decimals.

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1098 due for answer on 08.02.2019 regarding ' Deforestation'

Statement Showing Cases for State/UTs wise diversion of Forest Land Under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 during the period 01.01.2015 to 05.02.2019.

(Area in hectares)

| S. No.      | States/UTs          | No. of Cases   | Area Diverted   |
|-------------|---------------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1           | Andaman and Nicobar | 6              | 20.14           |
| 2           | Andhra Pradesh      | 34             | 3474.57         |
| 3           | Arunachal Pradesh   | 12             | 451.37          |
| 4           | Assam               | 1              | 1.00            |
| 5           | Bihar               | 125            | 1131.60         |
| 6           | Chandigarh          | 2              | 0.39            |
| 7           | Chhattisgarh        | 36             | 3793.05         |
| 8           | Dadar &Nagar Haveli | 9              | 5.40            |
| 9           | Daman and Diu       | 0              | 0.00            |
| 10          | Delhi               | 1              | 12.00           |
| 11          | Goa                 | 8              | 42.75           |
| 12          | Gujarat             | 110            | 2009.30         |
| 13          | Haryana             | 928            | 1529.24         |
| 14          | Himachal Pradesh    | 131            | 959.63          |
| 15          | Jammu and Kashmir   | 0              | 0.00            |
| 16          | Jharkhand           | 31             | 690.87          |
| 17          | Karnataka           | 62             | 802.75          |
| 18          | Kerala              | 8              | 15.82           |
| 19          | Lakshadweep         | 0              | 0.00            |
| 20          | Madhya Pradesh      | 241            | 12785.98        |
| 21          | Maharashtra         | 33             | 3797.16         |
| 22          | Manipur             | 7              | 263.20          |
| 23          | Meghalaya           | 2              | 142.93          |
| 24          | Mizoram             | 1              | 0.24            |
| 25          | Nagaland            | 0              | 0.00            |
| 26          | Orissa              | 58             | 4968.48         |
| 27          | Pondicherry         | 0              | 0.00            |
| 28          | Punjab              | 728            | 1524.99         |
| 29          | Rajasthan           | 84             | 2834.34         |
| 30          | Sikkim              | 8              | 24.30           |
| 31          | Tamil Nadu          | 11             | 542.40          |
| 32          | Telangana           | 32             | 9420.24         |
| 33          | Tripura             | 9              | 83.98           |
| 34          | Uttar Pradesh       | 4              | 163.76          |
| 35          | Uttarakhand         | 255            | 2850.87         |
| 36          | West Bengal         | 11             | 305.77          |
| Grand Total | Grand Total         | 2988 54648.54  |                 |