Lok Sabha Question No. 2291 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Steps to Maintain Ecological Balance
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Khalilur Rahaman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2291

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2024

## Steps to Maintain Ecological Balance

## 2291.  SHRI KHALILUR RAHAMAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government is cognizant of the fact that increased in tourism activities in hill stations across the country are vulnerable to climate change;
- (b) whether rampant infrastructural and tourism related development aiding incidents like landslides;
- (c) the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  maintain  the  ecological balance in the hills so that incidents such in Joshimath in Uttarakhand do not occur again; and
- (d) the details of loss of lives and properties due to landslide during the last five years, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) & (b) Unregulated tourism beyond the carrying capacity of hill stations disturb their ecological  balance  and  may  increase  the  vulnerability  of  such  hill  stations.  Rampant infrastructural and tourism-related development, involving removal of forests and vegetation over a large area, alteration of natural water flow patterns, overloading on slopes, unscientific excavation, etc.  may make the hill regions more prone to erosion and landslides, especially during  heavy  rainfall  and  earthquakes.  Post  disaster  landslide  studies  carried  out  by  the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines has observed that human interference disturbs the natural environment and enhances the scope of increase in landslide occurrence.

(c) The  Government  of  India  as  well  as  various  State  Governments  have  taken  many measures  for  maintaining the ecological balance in the hills, including  Research  & Development initiatives, implementation of stringent regulations for infrastructure development, afforestation activities, biodiversity conservation measures, awareness campaigns for promoting sustainable lifestyles, formulation of strategies and action plans on climate change and for disaster management, etc.

The G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment established by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) strives to advance scientific knowledge and to evolve integrated management strategies for conservation of biodiversity and natural resources in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). The Ministry also implements the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) to support the sustenance and enhancement of the ecological, natural, cultural and socio-economic capital assets and values of the IHR. Further, two out  of  the  eight  missions  outlined  under  the  National  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change (NAPCC),  namely,  National  Mission  for  Sustaining  Himalayan  Ecosystem  (NMSHE)  and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) are dedicated to ecological studies and implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST).

The  Ministry  has  also  prepared  the  'Guidelines  on  Sustainable  Eco-tourism  in  Forest  and Wildlife Areas, 2021' for promoting better understanding of nature and wildlife conservation while  generating  income  and  opportunities  for  the  local  communities  in  an  ecologically, culturally and economically sustainable manner.

(d) As per information compiled by Ministry of Home Affairs from various States/ UTs, the details of damages caused by hydrometrological disasters during 2019-20 to 2023-24 are at Annexure.

*****

Annexure Details of damages/ losses due to hydrometeorological disasters during the years 2019-20 to 2023-24 as reported by States/ UTs

| State/UT                    | 2019-20                | 2019-20           | 2019-20                    | 2019-20                          | 2020-21                | 2020-21           | 2020-21                    | 2020-21                          | 2021-22                | 2021-22           | 2021-22                    | 2021-22                          | 2022-23                | 2022-23           | 2022-23                    | 2022-23                          |                        |                   |                            |                                  |                                  |
|-----------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| State/UT                    | Human Lives Lost (No.) | Cattle Lost (No.) | Houses/ Huts Damaged (No.) | Cropped Area affected (lakh ha.) | Human Lives Lost (No.) | Cattle Lost (No.) | Houses/ Huts Damaged (No.) | Cropped Area affected (lakh ha.) | Human Lives Lost (No.) | Cattle Lost (No.) | Houses/ Huts Damaged (No.) | Cropped Area affected (lakh ha.) | Human Lives Lost (No.) | Cattle Lost (No.) | Houses/ Huts Damaged (No.) | Cropped Area affected (lakh ha.) | Human Lives Lost (No.) | Cattle Lost (No.) | Houses/ Huts Damaged (No.) | Cropped Area affected (lakh ha.) | Cropped Area affected (lakh ha.) |
| Andhra Pr.                  | -                      | -                 | -                          | - 50                             | 10790                  |                   | 18537                      | 8.81                             | 61                     | 3261              | 7720                       | 2.38                             | 7                      | 291               | 13573                      | 0.07                             | 39                     | 462               | 5808                       | 2.68                             | 2.68                             |
| Arunachal Pr.               | 7                      | 23                | 377                        | -                                | 19                     | 809               | 707                        | 0.28                             | 6                      | 18                | 98                         | 0.02                             | 23                     | 49                | 1045                       | 0.001 9                          | 14                     |                   | 134                        | 0                                | 0                                |
| Assam                       | 101                    | 250               | 140440                     | 2                                | 149                    | 393               | 57931                      | 2.67                             | 13                     | -                 | 2163                       | 0.1                              | 200                    | 2043              | 202214                     | 1.15                             | 65                     | 1671              | 3805                       | 0.59                             | 0.59                             |
| Bihar                       | 133                    | 80                | 45355                      | 2.61                             | 30                     | 125               | 10789                      | 7.41                             | 70                     | 96                | 9535                       | 7.06                             | 70                     | -                 | 140                        | 0.37                             | 518                    |                   | 250                        | -                                | -                                |
| Chhattisgarh                | 15                     | 96                | 1246                       | 0.018                            | 61                     | 858               | 14962                      | -                                | 16                     | 279               | 1986                       | -                                | 95                     | 533               | 1445                       | 0.005                            | 114                    | 272               | 2200                       | -                                | -                                |
| Goa                         | 2                      |                   | 540                        | -                                | 2                      | -                 | 114                        | -                                | 3                      | 16                | 3402                       | 0.001                            | 1                      | -                 | 88                         | -                                | 8                      | -                 | 290                        | -                                | -                                |
| Gujarat                     | 195                    | 848               | 5318                       | -                                | 215                    | 1019              | 7638                       | -                                | 67                     | 8683              | 129497                     | 1.49                             | 10                     | 120               | 1470                       | 0.83                             | 236                    | 5148              | 30718                      | 1.33                             | 1.33                             |
| Hayana                      | 7                      |                   | 1                          | -                                | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | 4                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | 47                     | 2982              | 4686                       | 2.16                             | 2.16                             |
| Himachal Pr.                | 86                     | 555               | 2940                       | -                                | 44                     | 84                | 1307                       | 0.24                             | 119                    | 509               | 171                        | 0.06                             | 42                     | 940               | 2551                       | 0.08                             | 449                    | 21351             | 15525                      | 0.76                             | 0.76                             |
| Karnataka                   | 91                     | 59600             | 115792                     | 9.35                             | 104                    | 1841              | 40028                      | 14.32                            | 70                     | 797               | 30765                      | 11.35                            | 127                    | 1289              | 28365                      | 9.95                             | 119                    | 798               | 9864                       | 0.22                             | 0.22                             |
| Kerala                      | 125                    | 829               | 30039                      | 0.36                             | 128                    |                   | 5672                       |                                  | 144                    | 152               | 9770                       | 0.85                             | 76                     | 161               | 2216                       | -                                | 80                     |                   | 2745                       | -                                | -                                |
| Madhya Pr.                  | 674                    | 1700              | 51830                      | 60.47                            | 212                    | 1469              | 42536                      | 6.68                             | 127                    | 1540              | 70776                      | 1.06                             | 284                    | 997               | 6646                       | - 201                            |                        | 357               | 2997                       | -                                | -                                |
| Maharashtra                 | 253                    | 4230              | 109714                     | 4.17                             | 215                    | 5814              | 297013                     | 11.28                            | 322                    | 2201              | 46166                      | 2.41                             | 206                    | 4301              | 3592                       | -                                | 146                    | 207               | 467                        | -                                | -                                |
| Manipur                     | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | 53                     | -                 | -                          | - -                              |                        | -                 | -                          | -                                | -                                |
| Meghalaya                   | 23                     |                   | 37771                      | -                                | 32                     | 263               | 2374                       | -                                | 2                      | 20                | 1556                       |                                  | 27                     | 167               | 1681                       | 0.12                             | 26                     | 27                | 2115                       | 0                                | 0                                |
| Mizoram                     | 3                      |                   | 1523                       | -                                | -                      | -                 | 350                        | -                                | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | -                      | -                 | 1                          | -                                | 5                      |                   | 212                        | 0                                | 0                                |
| Nagaland                    | 19                     | 5                 | 1458                       | -                                | 9                      | 1                 | 1030                       | -                                | 2                      | 3503              | 948                        | 0.17                             | 10                     | 14077             | 1957                       | -                                | 8                      | 5                 | 2001                       | 0                                | 0                                |
| Odisha                      | 13                     | 136               | 5139                       | 1.49                             | 38                     | 64                | 81592                      | 1.8                              | 19                     | 4632              | 28929                      | 1.82                             | 11                     | 229               | 9693                       | 1.36                             | 4                      | 30                | 3674                       | 0.16                             | 0.16                             |
| Punjab                      | 20                     | 615               | 2618                       | 1.51                             | 16                     | 92                | 837                        | 1.23                             | 18                     | 38                | 90                         | 0.04                             | 22                     | 203               | 1888                       | 0.83                             | 77                     | 63649             | 7101                       | 1.66                             | 1.66                             |
| Rajasthan                   | 126                    | 314               | 27284                      | 23.92                            | -                      | -                 | -                          | -                                | 51                     | 1556              | 36957                      | 6.47                             | 91                     | 184               | 25                         |                                  | 70                     | 1048              | 6854                       | -                                | -                                |
| Sikkim                      | 6                      | 1304              | 485                        | -                                | 18                     | 134               | 1432                       | 0.02                             | 3                      | 51                | 1098                       | 0.02                             | 8                      | 126               | 1013                       | 0.002                            | 64                     | 1431              | 3083                       | 0                                | 0                                |
| Telangana                   | 25 -                   | 70 -              | -                          | -                                | 12                     | 390               | 4384                       | 4.63                             | 128                    | 6516              | -                          | -                                | 16 39                  |                   | 435 14858                  | -                                | 19                     | 18597             | 5193                       | 0.61                             | 0.61                             |
| Tamil Nadu                  |                        |                   | 1158                       | -                                | 52                     | 1783              | 11421                      | 2.39                             | -                      | -                 | 48510                      | 0.83                             |                        | 508 1574          |                            | 1.53                             | 78                     |                   | 20277                      | 2.67                             | 2.67                             |
| Tripura                     |                        | 15                |                            | 0.014                            | 5                      | 4                 | 11650                      | -                                |                        | 33                | 1796                       | -                                | 13                     | 1                 | 2476                       | -                                |                        | 605               |                            | -                                | -                                |
|                             | 8                      |                   | 44963                      |                                  |                        |                   |                            |                                  | 6                      |                   |                            |                                  |                        |                   |                            |                                  | 35                     | -                 | 6660                       |                                  |                                  |
| Uttar Pr.                   | 166                    | 297               | 33986                      | 8.3                              | 72                     | 62                | 6798                       | 1.08                             | 162                    | 277               | 11335                      | 3.61                             | 53                     | 68                | 3267                       | 2.13                             | 47                     | 358               | 655                        | -                                | -                                |
| Uttarakhand                 | 80                     | 400               | 814                        | 0.003                            | 68                     | 530               | 1031                       |                                  | 79                     | 357               | 860                        | 0.54                             | 86                     | 407               | 1218                       |                                  | 109                    | 661               | 3137                       | 0.09                             | 0.09                             |
| West Bengal                 | 227 -                  | 382 -             | 83787                      | 0.08                             | 354                    | 23937             | 564814                     | 5.71                             | 98 1                   | 9736              | 1204                       | 0.00005                          | -                      | - -               | - -                        | - -                              | -                      | - - -             |                            | 0 -                              | 0 -                              |
| D&NHaveli                   |                        |                   | -                          | -                                | 6                      | -                 | -                          | -                                |                        | 4                 | 263381                     | 3.48                             | -                      |                   |                            |                                  | 5                      | 270               |                            | -                                | -                                |
|                             |                        |                   |                            |                                  |                        |                   |                            | -                                | -                      |                   |                            |                                  |                        |                   |                            | 18                               |                        | 10                | 11                         | - 0.46                           | - 0.46                           |
| Delhi J&K Pudducherry Total | - 17 - 2422            | - 6 - 71755       | - 11 - 744589              | - - - 114.295                    | - 77 1 1989            | - 77 656 51195    | - 8 186 1185141            | - 0.02 68.57                     | - 2 1593               | - - 71 44346      | - - 347 709060             | - - 0.04 43.80105                | - 16 - 1586            | - - 999 29267     | - - 16 301873              | - - - 18.428 2616                | 19 1 119683            | - -               | 83 19 140834               |                                  | 13.39                            |