Lok Sabha Question No. 100 (STARRED), answered on 2024-07-29
Subject: Forest Cover in Kerala
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Shafi Parambil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO: 100

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2024

## Forest cover in Kerala

## * 100.  SHRI SHAFI PARAMBIL:

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

- (a) the details of the forest cover in the State of Kerala as of 31st March 2024;
- (b) the details of increase or decrease in the forest cover in the said State during the last five years and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the measures taken by the Government for the protection of forest cover in the said State; and
- (d) whether there is any monitoring mechanism to oversee the changes in forest cover in the said State and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (d) The statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## Statement refer to in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 100 due for reply on 29.07.2024 regarding 'Forest cover in Kerala' by Shri Shafi Parambil:

- (a) The Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry assesses forest cover of the country biennially since 1987 and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The wall-to-wall forest cover mapping exercise is carried out using remote sensing supported by intensive ground verification and field data from the National Forest Inventory. As per the latest ISFR 2021, the total forest cover in the State of Kerala is 21,253 square kilometers.
- (b) The details of change in the forest cover in the State of Kerala during the last five years are as follows: -

|   ISFR year | Total Forest Cover (in sq km)   | Change wrt previous Assessment (in sq km)   |
|-------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|        2017 | 20,321                          | -                                           |
|        2019 | 21,144                          | 823                                         |
|        2021 | 21,253                          | 109                                         |

There is an increase of 932 square kilometers in forest cover in the State of Kerala between ISFR 2017 and ISFR 2021. The increase in forest cover in the State may be attributed to better conservation measures, protection, afforestation activities, tree plantation drives, and agroforestry.

- (c) The  protection  and  management  of  forests  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  the  State Government. The Government has formulated adequate legal and regulatory frameworks at national and state levels in the country, which regulate the protection, conservation, and management of the forests of the country. The major central level policy and acts concerning the management and conservation of forests include the National Forest Policy, 1988, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam 1980, and Biological Diversity Act, 2002, etc.

Further, the following protection measures have also been taken by the State of Kerala.

- i. Consolidation of Forest Boundary:  Survey  of  forest boundaries  including the construction of boundary pillars has been completed in most of the forest divisions.
- ii. Protection measures: Earnest efforts are made by the State Government to protect the forest  from  encroachments,  illegal  trespassing,  and  other  biotic  interferences.  Strict vigil by the various wings of the State Forest Department through regular patrolling and  perambulations  is  done  including  booking  offenses  for  any  violation  of  Forest Laws and Rules.
- iii. Habitat  improvement  measures:  Habitat  improvement  activities  are  undertaken  to sustain the quality and ecosystem services of the forest, as envisaged in the approved Working plan/Management plan of each forest division/Protected Area.
4. (d)    The  change  in  forest  cover  in  the  country  is  measured  through  forest  and  tree  cover assessment, which is biennially done by the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun based on remote sensing supported by intensive ground verification. The results are published in the India State of Forest Report. Further, the State Government monitors the forests through perambulation  and  patrolling  to  ensure  protection  of  forest  areas.  Participatory  Forest Management  (PFM)  is  implemented  to  actively  engage  public  in  the  protection  and monitoring of forests and forest resources of the State.

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