Lok Sabha Question No. 1241 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-06
Subject: Denudation of Forests Area
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri, Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1241

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 06.12.2021

## Denudation of Forests Area

## 1241.   SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

PROF. SOUGATA RAY:

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

- (a) the details of actual forest cover against the targets fixed during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
- (b) whether large-scale deforestation has taken place in the country and if so, the details of the area where denudation of forests has taken place including the total land area lost due  to  deforestation  during  the  last  five  years,  State-wise  along  with  the  reasons therefor;
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  further  denudation  of  forest  area  in  the country;
- (d) 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 if so, the details thereof including the efforts made by the Government in this regard;  and
- (e) the steps taken by Government for the conservation of forests in the country which are decreasing  day  by  day  due  to  deforestation  and  the  total  land  area  lost  due  to deforestation during the last five years, State-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The National Forest Policy, 1988 envisages that a minimum of one-third of the total land area of the country should be under forest or tree cover. In the hills and in mountainous region, the aim should be to maintain two-third of the area under such cover in order to prevent erosion and land degradation and to ensure the stability of the fragile eco-system.

The assessment of forest cover and tree cover of the country is carried out biennially by Forest Survey of India and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). ISFR-2019 is the latest report in the series. As per ISFR 2019, total Forest and Tree cover of the country is 8,07,276 square kilometers which is 24.56% of the geographical area of the country. State/UTwise details of Forest and Tree cover as per ISFR-2015, ISFR-2017 and ISFR-2019 are provided at Annexure-I which show that overall at the national level Forest and Tree Cover has increased by 13,209 square kilometers between ISFR- 2015 and ISFR-2019.

- (b) No, Sir. During the last five years (i.e. 2016-17 to 2020-21) 82,893.61 hectare forest area has been diverted for non-forestry purposes. The State and Union Territory wise details are given at Annexure-II.
- (c) For  development  purposes,  non  forestry  use  of  forest  land  is  allowed  under  the  provision  of Forest (Conservation) Act, after following due process to minimise diversion of forest area, and felling of trees with mandatory Compensatory Afforestation and required mitigation measures.
- (d)        Local  people  are  involved  regularly  through  Joint  Forest  Management  Committee  and  EcoDevelopment Committee by State Forest Department for afforestation/rehabilitation of degraded forests and adjoining areas.
- (e)     Various schemes are being implemented by Central and State Government/Union Territory (UT) Administration  for  improvement  of  forest  cover  in  the  country.  These  include  National Afforestation  Programme  (NAP)  and  Green  India  Mission  (GIM),  being  implemented  by  the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Afforestation activities are also taken up under  various  programmes/schemes  such  as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Scheme, Compensatory Afforestation Funds under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management  and  Planning  Authority  (CAMPA).  In  addition  State  and  UT  Government  also implement various schemes of afforestation.

The multi-departmental efforts have yielded good results in conserving and developing forest and tree cover as evident from the fact that the Forest and Tree cover as reported in the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2019 has increased by 13,209 sq km as compared to that of ISFR 2015  assessment.  The  State  and  Union  Territory  wise  details  of  forest  area  diverted  for  nonforestry purposes are given at Annexure-II.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok SabhaUnstarred Question No. 1241 due for answer on 06.12.2021 regarding 'Denudation of Forests Area'

## State/UT wise forest cover and tree cover as per ISFR 2015, 2017 and 2019.

| States/UTs          | Forest Cover and Tree Cover (in square kilometre)   | Forest Cover and Tree Cover (in square kilometre)   | Forest Cover and Tree Cover (in square kilometre)   |
|---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| States/UTs          | ISFR 2015                                           | ISFR 2017                                           | ISFR 2019                                           |
| Andhra Pradesh      | 29,971                                              | 31,900                                              | 33,051                                              |
| Arunachal Pradesh   | 67,915                                              | 67,771                                              | 67,536                                              |
| Assam               | 29,151                                              | 29,601                                              | 29,735                                              |
| Bihar               | 9,436                                               | 9,562                                               | 9,309                                               |
| Chhattisgarh        | 59,188                                              | 59,380                                              | 59,859                                              |
| Delhi               | 299.77                                              | 305.41                                              | 324                                                 |
| Goa                 | 2,535                                               | 2552                                                | 2,509                                               |
| Gujarat             | 22,624                                              | 22,781                                              | 21,769                                              |
| Haryana             | 2,935                                               | 3,003                                               | 3,167                                               |
| Himachal Pradesh    | 15,464                                              | 15,922                                              | 16,263                                              |
| Jammu &Kashmir      | 31,342                                              | 31,056                                              | 31,556                                              |
| Jharkhand           | 26,307                                              | 26,475                                              | 26,268                                              |
| Karnataka           | 42,001                                              | 43,263                                              | 44,832                                              |
| Kerala              | 22,229                                              | 23,280                                              | 24,080                                              |
| Madhya Pradesh      | 85,199                                              | 85,487                                              | 85,821                                              |
| Maharashtra         | 60,257                                              | 60,513                                              | 61,584                                              |
| Manipur             | 17,326                                              | 17,566                                              | 17,020                                              |
| Meghalaya           | 17,972                                              | 17,803                                              | 17,829                                              |
| Mizoram             | 19,252                                              | 18,653                                              | 18,447                                              |
| Nagaland            | 13,320                                              | 12,868                                              | 12,848                                              |
| Odisha              | 54,446                                              | 55,338                                              | 56,267                                              |
| Punjab              | 3,315                                               | 3,459                                               | 3,441                                               |
| Rajasthan           | 24,375                                              | 24,838                                              | 24,742                                              |
| Sikkim              | 3,388                                               | 3,379                                               | 3,378                                               |
| Tamil Nadu          | 30,713                                              | 30,952                                              | 31,194                                              |
| Telangana           | 22,403                                              | 23,088                                              | 23,096                                              |
| Tripura             | 8,123                                               | 7,941                                               | 7,957                                               |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 21,445                                              | 22,121                                              | 22,148                                              |
| Uttarakhand         | 25,024                                              | 25,062                                              | 25,144                                              |
| West Bengal         | 18914                                               | 18,983                                              | 18,908                                              |
| A&N Islands         | 6,788                                               | 6,777                                               | 6,784                                               |
| Chandigarh          | 30.66                                               | 31.56                                               | 47                                                  |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 234                                                 | 237                                                 | 235                                                 |
| Daman &Diu          | 29.61                                               | 30.49                                               | 25                                                  |
| Lakshadweep         | 31.06                                               | 29.1                                                | 27                                                  |
| Puducherry          | 83.95                                               | 80.67                                               | 75                                                  |
| Grand Total         | 794067                                              | 802088                                              | 8,07,276                                            |

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) and (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1241 due for answer on 06.12.2021 regarding 'Denudation of Forests Area'

| Statement Showing State wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of land non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Statement Showing State wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of land non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Statement Showing State wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of land non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   | Statement Showing State wise area approved (in Ha.) for use of land non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Category : All Categories                                                                                                        | Category : All Categories                                                                                                        | During the Period : 01/04/2016                                                                                                   | During the Period : 01/04/2016                                                                                                   |
| S. No.                                                                                                                           | STATE / UT                                                                                                                       | No. of Proposal                                                                                                                  | Area Approved (in Ha.)                                                                                                           |
| 1                                                                                                                                | Andaman and Nicobar                                                                                                              | 1                                                                                                                                | 5.26                                                                                                                             |
| 2                                                                                                                                | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                   | 39                                                                                                                               | 2713.53                                                                                                                          |
| 3                                                                                                                                | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                | 12                                                                                                                               | 5084.48                                                                                                                          |
| 4                                                                                                                                | Assam                                                                                                                            | 5                                                                                                                                | 1178.33                                                                                                                          |
| 5                                                                                                                                | Bihar                                                                                                                            | 202                                                                                                                              | 1977.14                                                                                                                          |
| 6                                                                                                                                | Chandigarh                                                                                                                       | 4                                                                                                                                | 0.43                                                                                                                             |
| 7                                                                                                                                | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                     | 26                                                                                                                               | 1897.15                                                                                                                          |
| 8                                                                                                                                | Dadar& Nagar Haveli                                                                                                              | 34                                                                                                                               | 23.97                                                                                                                            |
| 9                                                                                                                                | Goa                                                                                                                              | 11                                                                                                                               | 141.33                                                                                                                           |
| 10                                                                                                                               | Gujarat                                                                                                                          | 811                                                                                                                              | 5340.27                                                                                                                          |
| 11                                                                                                                               | Haryana                                                                                                                          | 1495                                                                                                                             | 2150.03                                                                                                                          |
| 12                                                                                                                               | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                 | 282                                                                                                                              | 1732.76                                                                                                                          |
| 13                                                                                                                               | Jammu and Kashmir                                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                                                | 1.20                                                                                                                             |
| 14                                                                                                                               | Jharkhand                                                                                                                        | 62                                                                                                                               | 3421.16                                                                                                                          |
| 15                                                                                                                               | Karnataka                                                                                                                        | 88                                                                                                                               | 1355.25                                                                                                                          |
| 16                                                                                                                               | Kerala                                                                                                                           | 12                                                                                                                               | 9.21                                                                                                                             |
| 17                                                                                                                               | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                   | 697                                                                                                                              | 19638.41                                                                                                                         |
| 18                                                                                                                               | Maharashtra                                                                                                                      | 33                                                                                                                               | 3615.62                                                                                                                          |
| 19                                                                                                                               | Manipur                                                                                                                          | 5                                                                                                                                | 1184.12                                                                                                                          |
| 20                                                                                                                               | Meghalaya                                                                                                                        | 4                                                                                                                                | 11.40                                                                                                                            |
| 21                                                                                                                               | Mizoram                                                                                                                          | 5                                                                                                                                | 64.22                                                                                                                            |
| 22                                                                                                                               | Orissa                                                                                                                           | 101                                                                                                                              | 11862.24                                                                                                                         |
| 23                                                                                                                               | Punjab                                                                                                                           | 954                                                                                                                              | 1972.49                                                                                                                          |
| 24                                                                                                                               | Rajasthan                                                                                                                        | 168                                                                                                                              | 3771.62                                                                                                                          |
| 25                                                                                                                               | Sikkim                                                                                                                           | 4                                                                                                                                | 12.90                                                                                                                            |
| 26                                                                                                                               | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                       | 19                                                                                                                               | 81.91                                                                                                                            |
| 27                                                                                                                               | Telangana                                                                                                                        | 68                                                                                                                               | 8209.32                                                                                                                          |
| 28                                                                                                                               | Tripura                                                                                                                          | 43                                                                                                                               | 665.36                                                                                                                           |
| 29                                                                                                                               | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                    | 259                                                                                                                              | 1395.99                                                                                                                          |
| 30                                                                                                                               | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                      | 466                                                                                                                              | 2909.28                                                                                                                          |
| 31                                                                                                                               | West Bengal                                                                                                                      | 17                                                                                                                               | 467.24                                                                                                                           |
| Total                                                                                                                            | Total                                                                                                                            | 5928                                                                                                                             | 82893.61                                                                                                                         |

Source :

https://parivesh.nic.in (During the Period : 01.04.2016 to 31.03.2021)