Lok Sabha Question No. 2653 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: Environmental Degradation in Tribal Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Smt. Rachna Banerjee

## Get GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2653

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2025

## Environmental Degradation in Tribal Areas

## 2653.   SMT. RACHNA BANERJEE:

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

- (a) the manner in which the Government addressing the environmental degradation in tribal areas, particularly the loss of forests and wildlife and the role are tribal communities playing in environmental conservation;
- (b) the  measures  taken  to  address  the  impact  of  climate  change  on  tribal  communities particularly  those  who  rely  on  agriculture,  forestry  and  natural  resources  for  their livelihoods;
- (c) the manner in which the Government ensuring the involvement of tribal communities in natural resource management such as forest conservation and water resource management to protect their way of life;
- (d) the details of policies implemented to prevent deforestation and the destruction of tribal habitats due to mining, infrastructure development and industrial activities; and
- (e) the manner in which the Government promoting sustainable development practices in tribal regions that protect the environment while supporting economic growth?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (e) The National Forest Policy, 1988 emphasizes that the life of tribals and other poor people  living  within  and  near  forests  revolves  around  forests  and  the  rights  and concessions  enjoyed  by  them  should  be  fully  protected.  Having  regard  to  the symbiotic relationship between the tribal people and forests, the Policy also focus to associate the tribal communities  closely in the protection, regeneration and development of forests as well as to provide gainful employment to people living in and around the forest.

In consonance of this, the National Forest Policy, 1988 also envisages the national goal to have a minimum of one-third of the total land area under forest or tree cover and two-thirds of the area under such cover in the hill and mountainous regions of the country.

The Ministry provides technical and financial assistance to States/UTs under various schemes  and  programs  namely,  Green  India  Mission,  Forest  Fire  Prevention  and Management Scheme, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority  (CAMPA),  Nagar  Van  Yojana  (NVY)  and  Mangrove  Initiative  for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI). The tree plantation campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' was also launched during June 2024 to undertake plantation activities across the country, including in the tribal areas.

Afforestation activities are also taken up under various programmes and schemes of line  Ministries  such  as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee Scheme,  National  Bamboo  Mission,  Sub-Mission  on  Agroforestry  etc.  and  under schemes  of  State  Government/UT  Administration.  The  multi  departmental  efforts have yielded good results in conserving and enhancing the forest cover in the country.

Joint  Forest  Management  Committees  (JFMCs)  and  Village  Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) have been established, through participatory approaches, at the village  levels  involving  local  communities  in  forest  protection,  conservation,  and management  of  forests,  including  enhancing  the  livelihoods  of  forest  dependent communities and tribals.

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other sociocultural  needs.  The  Act  encompasses  rights  of  self-cultivation  and  habitation, community rights as well as recognition of traditional customary rights and right to protect,  regenerate  or  conserve  or  manage  any  community  forest  resource  for sustainable use.

India's climate actions across various sectors are embedded in various programme and schemes. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides the overarching  framework  for  all  climate  actions  and  comprises  missions  in  specific areas  of  solar  energy,  enhanced  energy  efficiency,  sustainable  habitat,  water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture, human health and strategic knowledge for climate change. All these Missions address the impact of climate  change  on  tribal  communities  particularly  those  who  rely  on  agriculture, forestry and natural resources for their livelihoods.

The  protection  and  management  of  forest  and  tree  resources  is  primarily  the responsibility  of  the  concerned  State  Government/Union  Territory  Administration. There are  legal  frameworks  for  the  protection  and  management  of  forest  and  tree resources  which  include,  the  Indian  Forest  Act  1927,  Van  (Sanrakshan  Evam Samvardhan)  Adhiniyam  1980,  and  the  State  Forest  Acts  and  Rules.  The  State Governments /UT Administrations take appropriate actions to protect forests and trees as per the provisions made under these Acts/ Rules.