Lok Sabha Question No. 1820 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Encroachment on Forest Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1820

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2016

## Encroachment on Forest Land

## 1820. SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA:

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

- (a) whether encroachment of forest land has been reported in various parts of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to check/remove the said encroachment?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (b) As per the information provided by the State/UT governments, the forest area under encroachment is 18,994 Sq kms which is approximately   2.47 % of the total forest area of the country. 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 therefore the action to remove encroachment is  taken  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 by the states. The Details regarding removal of encroachment by State Governments are not maintained in the Ministry.

To  prevent  fresh  encroachments  various  measures  are  taken  by  the  State  Forest Departments such as setting up of check posts, barriers, use of modern technology (that includes wireless network, remote sensing, Geographical Information System, Information Technology, use of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Differential GPS),  improved  mobility  to  the  field  staff  by  providing  vehicles  for  patrolling, survey and demarcation of forest areas and construction of boundary pillars. Local communities  are  also  involved  in  conservation,  protection  and  management  of forests through Joint Forest Management Committees/ Village level committees.

The Ministry supplements the efforts of the States/UTs in protection and management of forests through Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely Intensification of Forest Management Scheme.

***

## Annexure-I

ANNEXURE  REFFERED  TO  IN  PARTS  (a)  to  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1820  BY  SH.  BHANU  PRATAP  SINGH  VERMA: REGARDING  'ENCROACHMENT  ON  FOREST  LAND'  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON 08.03.2016

| S. No.   | Name of States/UTs   | Area of Encroachment (in ha.)   | As on Date   |
|----------|----------------------|---------------------------------|--------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh       | 40561.96                        | 05.12.2014   |
| 2        | Bihar                | 356.00                          | 16.02.2013   |
| 3        | Chhattisgarh         | 118494.60                       | 07.03.2011   |
| 4        | Gujarat              | 34791.00                        | 19.03.2011   |
| 5        | Goa                  | Nil                             | 25.02.2013   |
| 6        | Haryana              | 184.63                          | 20.07.2011   |
| 7        | Himachal Pradesh     | 4600.00                         | 21.08.2012   |
| 8        | Jharkhand            | 27360.21                        | 31.07.2012   |
| 9        | Jammu &Kashmir       | 14 345.02                       | 13.02.2014   |
| 10       | Karnataka            | 81 776.80                       | 16.07.2014   |
| 11       | Kerala               | 41063.30                        | 27.02.2012   |
| 12       | Madhya Pradesh       | 552570.46                       | 03.09.2015   |
| 13       | Maharashtra          | 183171.80                       | 09.08.2011   |
| 14       | Odisha               | 78505.08                        | 22.07.2011   |
| 15       | Punjab               | 7404.00                         | 31.01.2011   |
| 16       | Rajasthan            | 31659.53                        | 31.03.2011   |
| 17       | Tamil Nadu           | 15142                           | 16.07.2014   |
| 18       | Telangana            | 183465.00                       | 18.07.2014   |
| 19       | Uttar Pradesh        | 26831.10                        | 15.02.2013   |
| 20       | Uttarakhand          | 9656.73                         | 11.02.2014   |
| 21       | West Bengal          | 12660.97                        | 31.03.2010   |
| 22       | Arunachal Pradesh    | 58626.57                        | 31.07.2014   |
| 23       | Assam                | 317215.39                       | 17.03.2015   |
| 24       | Manipur              | 1918.37                         | 10.04.2012   |
| 25       | Meghalaya            | 9378.00                         | 12.03.2011   |
| 26       | Mizoram              | 29933.12                        | 08.04.2011   |
| 27       | Nagaland             | 8721.86                         | 26.07.2011   |
| 28       | Sikkim               | 3232.87                         | 13.03.2012   |
| 29       | Tripura              | 6.77                            | 08.08.2014   |
| 30       | A &NIslands          | 4379.36                         | 02.01.2014   |
| 31       | Chandigarh           | 14.00                           | 11.03.2011   |
| 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                | 18,99,358.24                    |              |