Lok Sabha Question No. 2496 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Diversion of Forest Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2496

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021

## Diversion of Forest land

## 2496.   SHRI T. R. BAALU:

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

- (a) the  total  extent  of  forest  land  diverted  for  non-forestry  purposes  during  the  last five years up to 2020-21, year-wise, State-wise;
- (b) the  details  of  forest  clearances  involving  50  hectares  and  more  for  various purposes, accorded in the last five years;
- (c) the acreage of land in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries diverted for nonforestry purposes,  along  with  the  details  of location, projects, and  project proponents; and
- (d) the details of projects which were opposed by the people of the project affected areas and the justification for according clearance despite public opposition?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a)& (b) As per the information available, a total of 82893.61hectare of forest land has been approvedfor non-forest use under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 during April 2016 toMarch 2021. The State/UT-wise detailsare given in Annexure-I . Thedetails of forest clearances accorded involving 50 hectare and more area for various purposes, in thesaid periodaregiven in Annexure-II.
- (c) & (d) As per available record 206 proposals involving 4118.109067 ha area with in Protected Areas including National Parks andSanctuarieshave been recommended  by  the  Standing  Committee  of  National  Board  for  Wildlife (SCNBWL) during the years 2020 and 2021. However, the Central Government has launched an online  portal  namely  PARIVESH  ('Pro  Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single window Hub') for the purpose of submitting and processing proposals for the Forest, Wildlife and other Environmental clearances. The portal has provisions to upload the details of projects including locations and project proponents. The information  so  uploaded  is  available  in  the  public  domain  on  the  website www.parivesh.nic.in.

TheGovernment of India accords prior approval to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for use of forest land for nonforest  purposes  under  the  provisions  of  Forest  (Conservation)  Act,1980  and related Statutes, Rules and Guidelines.

| Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Annexure referred to part (a) of the LSUQ No. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding Diversion of Forest land' Statement Showing State/UT wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | STATE / UT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2016- 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2017- 2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2018- 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2019- 2020                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2020- 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Grand Total                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| S. No.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | STATE / UT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Area (in Ha.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Area (in Ha.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Area (in Ha.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Area (in Ha.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Area (in Ha.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Area (in Ha.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Andaman and Nicobar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 5.26                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 5.26                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 16.29                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1215.87                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 502.15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 196.93                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 782.28                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2713.53                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 188.42                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 222.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 4577.84                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 95.37                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 5084.48                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Assam                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 19.98                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1157.35                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1178.33                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Bihar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 165.68                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 571.67                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 330.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 427.11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 481.81                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1977.14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Chandigarh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0.02                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.36                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.05                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.43                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 752.08                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 294.12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 641.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 209.10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1897.15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Dadar& Nagar Haveli                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 1.50                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 4.18                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 5.43                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 11.70                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1.15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 23.97                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 9                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Goa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 42.49                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1.19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 97.65                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 141.33                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 310.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 154.24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1198.98                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1785.91                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1891.10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 5340.27                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Haryana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 364.98                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 323.46                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 531.80                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 566.19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 363.61                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2150.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 31.81                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 294.44                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 669.14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 414.22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 323.14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1732.76                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 13                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Jammu and Kashmir                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1.20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1.20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 303.82                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 351.73                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1448.05                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 903.90                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 413.67                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 3421.16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 199.20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 326.52                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 139.64                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 390.12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 299.78                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1355.25                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Kerala                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 4.16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.17                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 2.88                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.80                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1.20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 9.21                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 17                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 896.63                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 4549.15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 5743.85                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2095.89                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 6352.90                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 19638.41                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 18                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 1519.78                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1367.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 431.39                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 183.79                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 113.10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 3615.62                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Manipur                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 96.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1063.62                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 24.50                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1184.12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 4.82                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 6.55                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 11.40                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 21                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0.24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 17.50                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 46.48                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 64.22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Orissa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 296.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2011.45                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 3635.74                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 4075.63                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1842.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 11862.24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 23                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Punjab                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 46.08                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 651.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 629.67                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 283.83                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 361.06                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1972.49                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2176.63                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 130.69                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 801.68                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 511.20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 151.42                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 3771.62                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 25                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 12.28                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 0.61                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 12.90                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 26                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 9.77                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0.76                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 32.33                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 27.95                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 11.10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 81.91                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 27                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Telangana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2.49                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 4891.81                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2309.08                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 377.94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 628.00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 8209.32                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 28                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Tripura                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 11.12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 3.33                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 8.48                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 294.38                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 348.04                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 665.36                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 29                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 123.83                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 6.96                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 138.81                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 39.68                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 1086.71                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1395.99                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 30                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 171.57                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1072.04                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 338.43                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 170.35                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1156.89                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2909.28                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 31                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | West Bengal                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 124.87                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 75.99                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 26.91                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 102.33                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 137.14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 467.24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Grand                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Total                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 7835.92                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 19627.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 19587.21                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 17528.69                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 18314.23                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 82893.61                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |

Annexure referred to part (b) of the LSUQ no. 2496 dated 13.12.2021 asked by Shri T.R. Baalu regarding 'Diversion of Forest land'

Purpose wise details of proposals involving 50 ha and more area approved during 2016-17 to 2020-21

| S. No.      | Category                  |   2016- 2017 |   2017- 2018 |   2018- 2019 |   2019- 2020 |   2020- 2021 |   Grand Total |
|-------------|---------------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------------|
| 1           | Defence                   |         0    |      3612.33 |      4154.23 |       154.42 |      2588.56 |      10509.5  |
| 2           | Drinking Water            |         0    |         0    |         0    |       117.87 |       409.53 |        527.4  |
| 3           | Forest Village Conversion |         0    |       809    |       285.7  |         0    |       198    |       1292.7  |
| 4           | Hydel                     |         0    |         0    |        98.1  |      4577.84 |       580.78 |       5256.72 |
| 5           | Industry                  |         0    |         0    |       149.2  |         0    |         0    |        149.2  |
| 6           | Irrigation                |      3348.14 |      3921.99 |      5201.98 |      2688.76 |      1357.56 |      16518.4  |
| 7           | Mining                    |      1427.78 |      4033.55 |      5422.73 |      3174.18 |      2253.8  |      16312    |
| 8           | Others                    |       256.34 |      1421.13 |       287.05 |       996.72 |       957.08 |       3918.31 |
| 9           | Railway                   |         0    |      1777.04 |       120.15 |       465.9  |       917.47 |       3280.56 |
| 10          | Rehabilitation            |       300    |         0    |         0    |         0    |         0    |        300    |
| 11          | Road                      |       819.11 |      1095.51 |       607.38 |      1442.28 |      2875.6  |       6839.88 |
| 12          | Thermal                   |         0    |       114.36 |         0    |         0    |         0    |        114.36 |
| 13          | Transmission Line         |       196.01 |       533.04 |       459.92 |       915.59 |      1636.22 |       3740.78 |
| 14          | Wind Power                |        60.7  |         0    |         0    |         0    |         0    |         60.7  |
| Grand Total | Grand Total               |      6408.07 |     17317.9  |     16786.5  |     14533.5  |     13774.6  |      68820.6  |