Lok Sabha Question No. 2818 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: Illegal Deforestation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ashok Mahadeorao Nete

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2818

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2023

## Illegal Deforestation

## 2818. SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the environment has been adversely affected due to illegal deforestation in country;
- (b) if so, the percentage of forest area decreased during the last three years as on date, Statewise; and
- (c) the details of the  efforts  made by the Government to stop deforestation along with the details of dialogues made with the State Governments in this regard during the last three years till date?

## ANSWER

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

CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b) Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out the assessment of forest cover biennially, since 1987 and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR).  The total forest cover in the country as per ISFR 2021 assessment is 7,13,789 square kilometer which is 21.71% of the geographical area of the country. Further, the total  forest  and  tree  cover  of  the  country  as  per  ISFR  2021  assessment  is  8,09,537  square kilometer which is 24.62% of the geographical area of the country. The total forest cover has increased  by  1540  square  kilometer  as  compared  to  the  ISFR  2019  assessment.  Hence, deforestation  cannot  be  attributed  as  a  factor  causing  adverse  impacts  on  environment  in  the country.

The State/UTs details of increase/decrease in forest cover between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021 alongwith change percentage is given in Annexure-I.

(c)   The Protection and management of forests is primarily the responsibility of concerned State Governments/UT Administrations which take appropriate actions under the provisions of Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and rules made there under, and also under State Specific Acts and Rules. Further, the Ministry provides technical and financial assistance to States/UTs under various  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  namely  Green  India  Mission  (GIM),  Forest  Fire Prevention and Management Scheme, CAMPA, Nagar Van Yojana including other schemes of line Ministries to increase the forest and tree cover of the country.

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2818 due for answer on 07.08.2023 regarding 'Illegal Deforestation'

## States/UTs details of increase/decrease in Forest Cover between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021

(Area in Square Kilometer)

| S. No.   | States/UTs          | Geographical area   | ISFR 2019 (a)   | ISFR 2021 (b)   | Change in Forest (b-a)   | Change Percentage w.r.t. 2019 assessment   |
|----------|---------------------|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | States/UTs          | Geographical area   |                 |                 | Cover                    |                                            |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh      | 1,62,968            | 29,137          | 29,784          | 647                      | 2.22                                       |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh   | 83,743              | 66,688          | 66,431          | -257                     | -0.39                                      |
| 3        | Assam               | 78,438              | 28,327          | 28,312          | -15                      | -0.05                                      |
| 4        | Bihar               | 94,163              | 7,306           | 7,381           | 75                       | 1.03                                       |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh        | 1,35,192            | 55,611          | 55,717          | 106                      | 0.19                                       |
| 6        | Delhi               | 1,483               | 195.44          | 195             | -0.44                    | -0.23                                      |
| 7        | Goa                 | 3,702               | 2,237           | 2,244           | 7                        | 0.31                                       |
| 8        | Gujarat             | 1,96,244            | 14,857          | 14,926          | 69                       | 0.46                                       |
| 9        | Haryana             | 44,212              | 1,602           | 1,603           | 1                        | 0.06                                       |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh    | 55,673              | 15,434          | 15,443          | 9                        | 0.06                                       |
| 11       | Jharkhand           | 79,716              | 23,611          | 23,721          | 110                      | 0.47                                       |
| 12       | Karnataka           | 1,91,791            | 38,575          | 38,730          | 155                      | 0.40                                       |
| 13       | Kerala              | 38,852              | 21,144          | 21,253          | 109                      | 0.52                                       |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh      | 3,08,252            | 77,482          | 77,493          | 11                       | 0.01                                       |
| 15       | Maharashtra         | 3,07,713            | 50,778          | 50,798          | 20                       | 0.04                                       |
| 16       | Manipur             | 22,327              | 16,847          | 16,598          | -249                     | -1.48                                      |
| 17       | Meghalaya           | 22,429              | 17,119          | 17,046          | -73                      | -0.43                                      |
| 18       | Mizoram             | 21,081              | 18,006          | 17,820          | -186                     | -1.03                                      |
| 19       | Nagaland            | 16,579              | 12,486          | 12,251          | -235                     | -1.88                                      |
| 20       | Odisha              | 1,55,707            | 51,619          | 52,156          | 537                      | 1.04                                       |
| 21       | Punjab              | 50,362              | 1,849           | 1,847           | -2                       | -0.11                                      |
| 22       | Rajasthan           | 3,42,239            | 16,630          | 16,655          | 25                       | 0.15                                       |
| 23       | Sikkim              | 7,096               | 3,342           | 3,341           | -1                       | -0.03                                      |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu          | 1,30,060            | 26,364          | 26,419          | 55                       | 0.21                                       |
| 25       | Telangana           | 1,12,077            | 20,582          | 21,214          | 632                      | 3.07                                       |
| 26       | Tripura             | 10,486              | 7,726           | 7,722           | -4                       | -0.05                                      |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh       | 2,40,928            | 14,806          | 14,818          | 12                       | 0.08                                       |
| 28       | Uttarakhand         | 53,483              | 24,303          | 24,305          | 2                        | 0.01                                       |
| 29       | West Bengal         | 88,752              | 16,902          | 16,832          | -70                      | -0.41                                      |
| 30       | A&N Islands         | 8,249               | 6,743           | 6,744           | 1                        | 0.01                                       |
| 31       | Chandigarh          | 114                 | 22.03           | 22.88           | 0.85                     | 3.86                                       |
| 32       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 491                 | 207.16          |                 | 0.10                     | 0.04                                       |
| 33       | Daman &Diu          | 111                 | 20.49           | 227.75          |                          |                                            |
| 34       | Jammu &Kashmir      |                     | 21,358          | 21,387          | 29                       | 0.14                                       |
| 35       | Ladakh              | 2,22,236            | 2,254           | 2,272           | 18                       | 0.80                                       |
| 36       | Lakshadweep         | 30                  | 27.1            | 27.1            | 0.00                     | 0.00                                       |
| 37       | Puducherry          | 490                 | 52.41           | 53.3            | 0.89                     | 1.70                                       |
|          | Grand Total         | 32,87,469           | 7,12,249        | 7,13,789        | 1,540                    | 0.22                                       |