Lok Sabha Question No. 3707 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Degradation of Assam’s Mahamaya Forest Belt
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Pradyut Bordoloi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3707

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## Degradation of Assam's Mahamaya Forest Belt

## 3707.   SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

- (a) whether there has been illegal encroachment in Assam's Mahamaya forest belt and if so, the details thereof including the area of land encroached;
- (b) the details of the encroachers and whether any action has been taken against them, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the details of the steps taken by the Government to secure the forest boundary, remove encroachments and restore the Mahamaya Forest area;
- (d) the  details  regarding  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  afforestation,  boundary demarcation and community engagement in the area; and
- (e) whether the Government  has reviewed the effectiveness of enforcement actions undertaken against encroachment in Mahamaya forest, if so, the findings thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  and (b)  The Protection and management of forests is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/UT Administration. To prevent the encroachment, appropriate legal provisions are there in the Indian Forest Act 1927, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Local Forest Acts/Rules. The  State Governments  /UT  Administrations take appropriate actions to protect forest and tree resources under the provisions made under these Acts/ Rules.

As reported by the State Forest Department of Assam, there is an encroachment of 2578.49 Ha by the households, rubber plantations, fisheries, tea-garden, dwelling area and agriculture in Parbatjhora Division of Assam.

(c) to (e) The Ministry issues advisories to State Governments/UT Administrations to remove encroachments  on  forest  lands  as  per  the  provisions  of  the  law  and  to  ensure  that  further encroachments do not occur. Further, in order to prevent encroachments, various measures are taken by the State Forest Departments, which include survey and demarcation of forest areas, fixing of pillars along forest boundary and regular patrolling by field staff. The State Forest Departments  also use a range of  modern  technologies such as Geographical Information System, Remote sensing and Global Positioning System to check encroachments in the forest areas. The Joint  Forest Management committees have also been established at village levels involving local communities for protection, conservation and management of forests.

The  Ministry  provides  technical  and  financial  support  to  the  States  and  Union  Territories through  various  schemes and  programmes  of  the Central  Government for  increasing forest and tree cover, including protection, conservation and sustainable management of forests in the country. These include, inter alia, the National Mission for a Green India (GIM), Nagar Van  Yojana  (NVY),  Mangrove  Initiative  for  Shoreline  Habitats  and  Tangible  Incomes (MISHTI), Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA),  Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats,  and  forest  fire  prevention  and management  schemes.  In  addition,  States  and  Union  Territories  implement  State-specific afforestation, reforestation and forest conservation schemes  in  accordance with their ecological, climatic and geographic conditions.

Further, a plantation campaign ' एक पेड़ माँ के नाम #Plant4Mother' has also been launched on the  occasion  of  World  Environment  Day  2024  and  in  the  current  year  also  to  undertake plantation activities across the country.  This campaign follows the 'Whole of Government' and  'Whole  of  Society'  approach  with  participation  of  all  stakeholders  for  increasing  the green cover in the country. The campaign has contributed to large scale plantation aiding the enhancement of green cover in the country.

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