(a) whether the Government has acquired forest land from the States/ Union Territories (UTs)
for building dam, mining and other non-forest activities in the country;
(b) if so, the details of acquired forest land during the last three years; State/ UT-wise;and
(c) the compensation worked out and provided by the Government to the State Governments in lieu
of the acquired forest land?
MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS
(SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)
(a) &(b) Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) did not acquire forest land from the States
Union-Territories (UTs) for building dam, mining and other non-forest activities. However, as
per the provision of the Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, use of forest land
for non-forest purpose requires prior approval of Central Government. State/UT-wise details of
approvals under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 accorded by the MoEF for diversion of forest
land for non-forest purposes during the last three years and the current year (i.e. with effect
from 01.01.2010 to 20.08.2013) is annexed.
(c) As the MoEF did not acquire forest land from the States/Union-Territories (UTs) for building
dam, mining and other non-forest activities no compensation in this regard has been provided by
the MoEF to State/ Union Territories. However, approvals under the Forest (Conservation) Act,
1980 accorded by the MoEF for use of forest land for non-forest purposes are subject to
fulfillment of inter-alia the conditions that the concerned State/UT Government shall
realize the Net Present Value (NPV) of the diverted forest land and the amount required
for creation and maintenance of compensatory afforestation, afforestation and fencing of
safety zone (for mining projects), implementation of Catchment Area Treatment Plan (for
irrigation and dam projects), implementation of Regional and/or site specific Wildlife
Conservation Plan etc. from the concerned user agencies and transfer the same to the Ad-
hoc CAMPA.