Lok Sabha Question No. 1977 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Cutting of Forest Trees
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Gajendra Singh Patel

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1977

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2021

## Cutting of Forest Trees

## 1977.  SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH PATEL:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  stop  the  cutting  of  forest  trees  in  Madhya Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of provisions made for environment conservation in Madhya Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b) Trees  in  forests  managed  by  State  Forest  Departments  are  felled  as  per  the Working Plans approved by the Ministry, and their records are maintained by the State Forest Departments. Protection and management of forests is primarily the responsibility  of  State  Governments  /Union  Territory  Administrations. There  are strong legal frameworks for protection and management of tree resources which include National Forest Policy 1988, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Forest (Conservation)  Act,  1980,  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972  and  State  Forest Acts/State specific Tree Preservation Acts and Rules, etc. The State Governments /UT  Administrations  take  appropriate  actions  in  accordance  with  the  provisions made under these Acts/ Rules for regulating felling of trees.

As per the report received from the Government of Madhya Pradesh the following steps have been taken by the State Government to prevent illegal felling of trees:-

- (a) The forest area of Madhya Pradesh are well demarcated with concrete/stone masonry pillars.
- (b) Regular  beat  inspections  are  being  carried  out  in  accordance  with  the approved roster.
- (c) 15228 Joint Forest  Management Committees are actively involved in the protection of forests.
- (d) 329 Forest Chowkies have been established
- (e) Mobiles,  wireless  systems,  binocular  and  Personal  Digital  Assistants  are being used for communication to control forest offences.
- (f) Every  forest  circle  and  important  divisions  have  flying  squads,  equipped with arms and vehicles, for rapid action and control of forest offences.
- (g) The state of Madhya Pradesh has three companies of special armed forces on deputation which have been deployed in very sensitive areas to assist in controlling encroachments and other forest crimes.
- (h) Felling of trees is done in the forest area as part of silvicultural operations as per working plans approved by the Government of India with regeneration operations.

In  order  to  increase  the  forest  cover  in  the  country,  afforestation  programmes have been taken up under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as National Afforestation Programme (NAP), Green India Mission (GIM), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Integrated Watershed  Management  Programme  (IWMP),  which  from  2015-16  has  been amalgamated as the Watershed Development Component of the 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY)'  and  under  Compensatory    Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Local people are involved in afforestation activities by the State Forest Departments.

For felling of trees for development works under Forest Conservation Act 1980, Compensatory Afforestation is done on equal non-forest land and 1000 plants per hectare are planted by the State Governments. During 2006-2018. Compensatory afforestation has been carried out over 352806 hectare.

- (c). Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change,  Government  of  India through Sub-section (3) of Section 3 of Environmental Protection Act, 1986 has constituted Madhya Pradesh State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), which regulates the development and their expansion through Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest  and Climate Change is also implementing the  Environment  Education,  Awareness  and  Training  (EEAT)  scheme  with  the objective, inter alia, to promote environmental awareness and mobilize student's participation for environment conservation. Under this Scheme, financial assistance  is  provided  to  State  Nodal  Agencies  for  supporting  Eco-clubs  in schools/ colleges, for organizing nature camps, etc. The scheme is implemented in Madhya Pradesh through the Environmental Planning & Coordination Organization (EPCO), Bhopal.