Lok Sabha Question No. 2687 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Encroachment on Forest Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAJESH VERMA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2687

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.05.2016

## Encroachment on Forest Land

## 2687.  SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

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

- (a) whether  there  are  reports  that  un-social  elements  particularly  in  the  National  Capital Territory  of  Delhi  have  illegally  occupied  hundreds  of  hectares  of  forest  land  and  are running activities which promote pollution;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps being taken by the Government to remove the illegal encroachment on the forest land and take strict action against guilty persons/officers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) & (b)  No such report on encroachment of forest lands by un-social elements particularly in the  National  Capital  Territory  of  Delhi  has  come  to  the  notice  of  this  Ministry. However, encroachments on forest lands have been reported by various State/Union Territory Governments. The State/UT-wise details of the forest area under encroachments in the country are given in Annexure-I.
- (c) Protection and Management of Forests is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State/UT Government and hence the action to remove encroachment is taken by the States/UTs  as  per  the  provisions  of  various  acts  such  as  Indian  Forest  Act,  1927; Wildlife  Protection  Act,  1972;  Forest  Conservation  Act,  1980  and  various  rules  & regulations thereof.

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## ANNEXURE-I ANNEXURE  REFFERED  TO  PART  (a)  &  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2687 DUE FOR 10.05.2016 REGARDING ENCROACHMENT ON FOREST LAND ASKED BY SHRI RAJESH VERMA

| S. No.   | Name of States/UTs   | Area of Encroachment (in ha.)   | As on Date   |
|----------|----------------------|---------------------------------|--------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh       | 1690.72                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 2        | Bihar                | 132.21                          | 31.03.2015   |
| 3        | Chhattisgarh         | 19330.64                        | 31.01.2016   |
| 4        | Gujarat              | 34791.00                        | 19.03.2011   |
| 5        | Goa                  | Nil                             | 25.02.2013   |
| 6        | Haryana              | 520                             | 31.03.2016   |
| 7        | Himachal Pradesh     | 4600.00                         | 21.08.2012   |
| 8        | Jharkhand            | 27360.21                        | 31.07.2012   |
| 9        | Jammu &Kashmir       | 14345.02                        | 13.02.2014   |
| 10       | Karnataka            | 187372                          | 31.03.2016   |
| 11       | Kerala               | 56.43                           | 31.03.2016   |
| 12       | Madhya Pradesh       | 534717.28                       | 31.03.2016   |
| 13       | Maharashtra          | 67012.56                        | 31.03.2016   |
| 14       | Odisha               | 78505.08                        | 22.07.2011   |
| 15       | Punjab               | 6987.31                         | 31.03.2015   |
| 16       | Rajasthan            | 31659.53                        | 31.03.2011   |
| 17       | Tamil Nadu           | 15142                           | 16.07.2014   |
| 18       | Telangana            | 27775.64                        | 31.03.2016   |
| 19       | Uttar Pradesh        | 23869.50                        | 29.02.2016   |
| 20       | Uttarakhand          | 9646.37                         | 22.03.2016   |
| 21       | West Bengal          | 13779.49                        | 31.03.2015   |
| 22       | Arunachal Pradesh    | 58626.57                        | 31.07.2014   |
| 23       | Assam                | 317215.39                       | 17.03.2015   |
| 24       | Manipur              | 1356.80                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 25       | Meghalaya            | 9378.00                         | 12.03.2011   |
| 26       | Mizoram              | 9589.48                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 27       | Nagaland             | 8721.86                         | 26.07.2011   |
| 28       | Sikkim               | 2817.21                         | 31.03.2016   |
| 29       | Tripura              | 6.77                            | 08.08.2014   |
| 30       | A &NIslands          | 4379.36                         | 02.01.2014   |
| 31       | Chandigarh           | 14.00                           | 31.03.2016   |
| 32       | D&N Haveli           | 614.40                          | 31.03.2013   |
| 33       | Daman &Diu           | 87.83                           | 28.09.2010   |
| 34       | Lakshadweep          | Nil                             | 28.08.2010   |
| 35       | Delhi                | 629.51                          | 11.04.2012   |
| 36       | Puducherry           | Nil                             | 21.10.2010   |
|          | TOTAL                | 15,12,730.17                    |              |