Lok Sabha Question No. 5197 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-04
Subject: Urban Afforestation Schemes
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

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

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N NO.5197

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 04.04.2022

## Urban Afforestation Schemes

## 5197. SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has any schemes for urban afforestation in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has any data regarding the rise of heat wave as a result of climate change in the country and if so, the details regarding the same since 2019;
- (c) whether the Government has any policy to tackle rising heat waves in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has any schemes for promotion of urban vertical gardens and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has any data regarding the forest lost in Kerala since 2018 and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  implements  a  Pilot Scheme of Nagar Van Yojana (NVY) which envisages developing 400 Nagar Vans and 200 Nagar Vatikasin the country during the period of 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an  objective  to  significantly  enhance  the  tree  outside  forests  and  green  cover, enhancement  of  biodiversity  and  ecological  benefits  to  the  urban  and  peri-urban areas apart from improving quality of life of city dwellers with the funds  under the National Fund of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).So far, a total of 65 projects have been sanctioned in 22 States. The Ministry encourages plantation in the country through schemes such as School Nursery  Yojana,  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management  and  Planning Authority (CAMPA), National Afforestation Programme (NAP), National Mission for  a  Green  India  (GIM),  etc.  which  promotes  urban  forestry,  tree  plantation  on vacant lands and bunds on farm lands etc. by involving local communities, NGOs, educational institutions, local bodies, etc.
- (b)&(c) As  per  the  information  from  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences,  heat  wave  is  one  of  the severe  weather  phenomena  for  which  India  Meteorological  Department  (IMD) issues early warning. In the country, appreciable rise in maximum temperatures as well as heat waves are found to be more in the months of April, May & June. As an initiative, IMD is issuing Seasonal Outlook for temperatures for the months of April, May & June in the last week of March for planning purpose. This outlook brings out the expected scenario of heat waves also during the period.

As an adaptive measure, IMD in collaboration with local health departments have started  heat  action  plan  in  many  parts  of  the  country  to  forewarn  about  the  heat waves  and  also  advising  action  to  be  taken  during  such  occasions,  became operational  since  2013  and  the  Plan  presents  immediate  as  well  as  longer-term actions to increase preparedness, information-sharing , and response coordination to reduce  the  health  impacts  of  extreme  heat  on  vulnerable  populations.  The  Heat Action  Plan  is  a  comprehensive  early  warning  system  and  preparedness  plan  for extreme heat events. National Disaster Management Authority ( NDMA ) and IMD are  working  with  23  states  prone  to  high  temperatures  leading  to  heat-wave conditions  to  develop  heat  action  plans.  IMD  has  started  Forecast  Demonstration Project  (  FDP)  on  heat  waves  for  the  hot  weather  season  under  which    a  detailed daily  report  including realized data of heat waves, weather systems leading to the occurrence of heat waves, diagnosis on the basis of Numerical Model outputs and forecast and warnings for five days is prepared. This bulletin is disseminated to all concerned including health departments.

- (d) At present, Government has no schemes for promotion of urban vertical gardens.
- (e) Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out  the  assessment  of  forest  cover  of  the  country  biennially  and  the  findings  are published in  India  State  of  Forest  Report  (ISFR).As  per  the  latest  ISFR-2021,  the Forest Cover of the State of Kerala is 21,253 sq km. The Forest Cover of the State has  increased  by  109  sq  km  (0.52%)  as  compared  to  the  previous  assessment published in ISFR 2019.

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