Guwahati: The Union Environment Ministry presented data to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), revealing that over 13,000 sq km of forest land across 25 States and Union Territories — currently encroached upon—an area larger than the combined geographical size of Delhi, Sikkim, and Goa.
Last year, the NGT took notice of a PTI report that revealed government data showing that 7,50,648 hectares (or 7,506.48 sq km) of forest land was under encroachment.
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This area was more than five times the size of Delhi. In response, the NGT directed the ministry to compile detailed data on forest encroachments across all states and Union Territories.
In a report submitted to the NGT last week, the Union Ministry revealed that, as of March 2024, 13,05,668.1 hectares (or 13,056 sq km) of forest land encroached upon the 25 states and UTs that provided data.
These areas include Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, and Manipur.
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However, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, West Bengal, Nagaland, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh have yet to submit their data on forest encroachments.
The report further defines the Recorded Forest Area (RFA), which includes land designated as forest by the government, even if it lacks tree cover.
The RFA is divided into three categories: reserved forests (fully protected, with activities like hunting and grazing generally prohibited), protected forests (where some activities are allowed unless otherwise restricted), and unclassified forests (which are neither reserved nor protected).
Madhya Pradesh reported the highest level of forest encroachment, with 5,460.9 sq km affected as of March 2024.
Assam follows with 3,620.9 sq km under encroachment. Other notable states include Karnataka (863.08 sq km), Maharashtra (575.54 sq km), Arunachal Pradesh (534.9 sq km), Odisha (405.07 sq km), Uttar Pradesh (264.97 sq km), Mizoram (247.72 sq km), and Jharkhand (200.4 sq km).
Reports show smaller encroachments in Tamil Nadu (157.68 sq km), Andhra Pradesh (133.18 sq km), Gujarat (130.08 sq km), Punjab (75.67 sq km), Uttarakhand (49.92 sq km), Kerala (49.75 sq km), Tripura (42.42 sq km), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (37.42 sq km), and Manipur (32.7 sq km).
The ministry also reported that authorities cleared 409.77 sq km of encroached forest land. However, it remains unclear whether this area have excluded from the total reported encroachment as of March 2024.
The ministry informed the NGT that it had requested the states to submit their data in several letters sent in May 2023 (on May 1, 17, and 28).
The ministry reminded states and UTs through phone calls and a meeting held on November 11, 2023.
Additionally, it sent reminder letters on February 22 and March 26, 2024, urging the remaining states and UTs to submit their data in a tabulated format.