Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's response to a question in Lok Sabha regarding forest clearances for infrastructure and industrial projects. It addresses concerns raised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) about a reported increase in forest clearances between 2014 and 2023. The document provides data on forest land approved for non-forestry purposes from 2014-15 to 2023-24, as of July 21, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
Forest Land Diversion:
* From 2014-15 to 2023-24, 173984.3 ha of forest land was approved for non-forestry purposes under the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980.
* Detailed category-wise data of diverted forest land is provided in the annexure.
Mitigation Measures:
* Forest land is permitted for non-forestry use only in unavoidable circumstances.
* Adequate mitigation measures are mandated, including Compensatory Afforestation (CA) and payment of Net Present Value (NPV).
* Additional mitigation measures like Soil and Moisture Conservation works, Catchment Area Plans, and Wildlife Management Plans are stipulated on a case-by-case basis.
Category-wise Diversion (2014-2024):
* Major categories of forest land diversion include: Mining & Quarrying (40096.17 ha), Hydel Irrigation (40138.31 ha), Road (30605.69 ha), Defence (14968.14 ha), Power Transmission Line (17232.69 ha).
* Other categories include: Railway, Industry, Canal, Communication Post, Dispensary/Hospital, Drinking Water, Encroachments Forest Village Conversion, Optical Fibre Cable, Others, Petrol Pump, Pipeline, Power Sub Station, Rehabilitation, School Educational Institution, Solar Power, Sub Station, Telecommunication Line, Thermal, Village Electricity, Water Rainwater Harvesting Structure, Wind Power.
Impact Analysis:
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change:
* Impact: Required to continuously process and decide on forest land diversion requests under the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980, ensuring mitigation measures are implemented.
* Action Required: Continue to assess diversion requests, enforce mitigation measures, and ensure compensatory afforestation and NPV payments are completed.
Infrastructure and Industrial Project Proponents:
* Impact: Subject to the forest clearance process under the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980 when projects require forest land diversion. Required to implement mitigation measures.
* Action Required: Comply with all requirements for forest clearance, including compensatory afforestation, NPV payments, and implementation of stipulated mitigation measures (Soil and Moisture Conservation works, Catchment Area Plan and Wildlife Management plan).
General Public/Environment:
* Impact: Affected by the diversion of forest land and the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
* Action Required: No direct action required, but may hold the government and project proponents accountable for environmental stewardship and compliance with regulations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and climate change policies.
Centre for Science and Environment: An independent public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi, India.
State of India's Environment Report 2023: A report published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) providing an assessment of India's environmental performance.
Paris Agreement: An international agreement on climate change, committing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming.
Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh: Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980: A law related to the conservation of forests.
Compensatory Afforestation: Planting of new forests to compensate for forest land diverted to non-forest uses.
Net Present Value: A financial assessment of the economic value of forests, paid when forest land is diverted for other uses.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 183
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
Forest Clearances for Infrastructure and Industrial Projects
183. SHRI SUKHDEO BHAGAT
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether as per the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its 2023 State of
India's Environment Report, forest clearances for infrastructure and Industrial Projects
has increased by over 150 per cent from 2014 to 2023; and
(b) if so, the reasons therefor despite Government's international commitments to increase
forest cover under Paris Agreement?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (b) The process of approvals for diversion of forest land for various non-forestry
purposes under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvarshan) Adhiniyam, 1980 is a
continuous process. During the period from 2014-15 to 2023-24, the forest area
measuring 173984.3 ha. has been approved to be used for various non-forestry
purposes including infrastructure and industrial projects under the provisions of
Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. The category wise detail
of diverted forest land is enclosed at Annexure.
The forestland is allowed to be used for non-forestry purposes in unavoidable
circumstances with adequate mitigation measures including the raising of
Compensatory Afforestation (CA) and payment of Net Present Value (NPV). The
additional mitigation measures in the form of Soil and Moisture Conservation
works, Catchment Area Plan and Wildlife Management plan etc. are also
stipulated on case-to-case basis.
*****Annexure referred to part (a) to (b) of the LSUQ No. 183 dated 21.07.2025 regarding ‘Forest Clearances for Infrastructure
and Industrial Projects ’ asked by Shri Sukhdeo Bhagat
Category :- All State / UTs During the Period: 01.04.2014 to 31.03.2024
S. 2014- 2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019- 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- Grand
Category
No. 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total
1 Canal 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.89 6.88 3.02 2.70 18.50
2 Communication Post 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.54 6.54
3 Defence 1231.00 180.00 0.98 3636.83 4159.09 187.44 2601.08 421.94 261.26 2288.51 14968.14
4 Dispensary/Hospital 39.86 0.02 2.20 0.17 41.37 0.00 1.10 11.02 6.81 10.76 113.31
5 Drinking Water 6.04 69.54 28.00 21.06 17.37 234.92 513.78 63.46 144.36 183.69 1282.21
6 Encroachments 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.25 0.00 0.00 8.38 0.00 9.63
Forest Village
7 0.00 966.20 0.00 929.04 285.70 0.00 210.00 298.27 394.80 166.00 3250.00
Conversion
8 Hydel / Irrigation 2369.07 2282.29 3637.85 4170.11 5488.24 7447.55 2135.53 2007.30 2486.40 8113.96 40138.31
9 Industry 1.23 66.31 0.91 37.15 181.28 12.51 43.27 31.96 5.93 25.26 405.82
10 Mining / Quarrying 5839.45 3940.42 1762.49 4127.11 5485.27 3420.53 2396.21 3939.48 3573.97 5611.24 40096.17
11 Optical Fibre Cable 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.73 91.47 121.67 94.41 48.96 65.40 437.63
12 Others 246.67 2210.91 369.54 1586.32 525.70 1276.89 1430.45 807.07 708.50 507.80 9669.85
13 Petrol Pump 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1884.98 1884.98
14 Pipeline 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.67 96.43 127.13 162.78 138.56 543.57
15 Power Sub Station 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 38.21 38.21
Power Transmission
16 2429.71 1193.86 293.93 816.99 974.01 1484.70 2281.76 2731.36 3072.02 1954.35 17232.69
Line
17 Railway 653.06 382.96 76.22 1831.98 236.84 612.87 1049.79 1169.53 1700.60 284.78 7998.65
18 Rehabilitation 242.39 0.20 300.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 42.50 86.90 75.11 833.45 1580.55
19 Road 1576.29 2024.44 1289.34 2336.53 2087.34 2668.30 5297.73 4966.41 4603.30 3756.01 30605.69School / Educational
20 0.98 2.44 0.64 6.96 12.79 0.18 0.03 40.87 6.23 12.35 83.46
Institution
21 Solar Power 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 1.09 0.00 0.47 1.57
22 Sub Station 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.98 45.42 9.95 2.01 5.78 76.14
Telecommunication
23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.59 0.59
Line
24 Thermal 395.85 2037.55 0.00 114.36 10.70 46.51 38.10 0.00 0.00 0.95 2644.02
25 Village Electricity 0.00 0.00 0.49 2.20 35.78 11.92 3.19 374.10 117.42 6.03 551.13
Water / Rainwater
26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.11
Harvesting Structure
27 Wind Power 147.34 85.11 73.33 10.76 30.00 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 346.84
Grand Total 15178.94 15442.25 7835.92 19627.56 19587.21 17528.69 18314.23 17189.14 17381.88 25898.48 173984.30