Lok Sabha Question No. 2069 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Conversion of Reserve Forests into Urban Parks
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Anumula Revanth Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2069

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2021

## Conversion of Reserve Forests into Urban Parks

## 2069.   SHRI ANUMULA REVANTH REDDY:

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

- (a) whether the State Government of Telangana proposes to convert Khazipally reserve forest near Hyderabad into urban forest park for beautification and development and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the State Government plans to convert other reserve forests into urban forest parks and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the State Government has invited celebrities and other industrialists to adopt the reserve forest areas and if so, details thereof;
- (d) whether any celebrity or industrialist has adopted any reserve forest, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether environmental clearance has been sought from his Ministry in this regard, if so, the details thereof?

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

- (a) to (d) As  per  report  received  from  Principal  Chief  Conservator  of  Forests  (PCCF), Telangana, the Forest Block has been identified for development as Urban Forest Park on the similar line of Nagar Van Yojana of Government of India.

The main objective of these Urban Forests Parks is to protect the valuable forest land  in  and  around  cities  and  towns  and  conserve  the  local  biodiversity  in  situ through  complete  protection  measures  and  taking  up  all  the  developmental activities required to develop the existing forests inside these urban forests blocks.

These Urban Forests  Parks  provide  the  required  lung  spaces  to  the  citizens  and also play a vital role in the development of healthy, clean and smart cities. They play a vital role in the awareness building for Forest Ecosystems and contribute a lot in imparting the environmental education to local children under Vana Darshini Programme.

In  most  of  the  Urban  Forest  Parks,  approximately  5% area is  opened  to  visitors and rest of the area is earmarked as conservation zone which is fully protected and preserved.

Also, other Forest Blocks in and around cities and towns are being developed as Urban  Forest  Parks  on  the  similar  line  of  Nagar  Van  Yojna  of  Government  of India.

Regarding inviting celebrities and industrialists to adopt the reserve forest areas, no such orders have been issued by the State Government so far. However, people are  coming  forward  voluntarily  to  contribute  to  the  development  of  forests  and local biodiversity under Telanganku Haritha Haram programme for development of urban forest blocks. The developmental and conservation activities are taken up by the Forest Department only as per approved Action Plans.

- (e) Establishment of Nagar Van does not requirement Environmental Clearance.

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