Question : Deforestation

(a) whether large scale deforestation has been reported in various parts of the country during the last few years;
(b) if so, the details of those regions where deforestation has taken place during the last three years and the current year along with the reasons therefor and its impact on the climatic condition, State-wise;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to prevent large scale deforestation in the country;
(d) whether the Government proposes to extend the forest areas in the country specifically in rural areas; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the efforts made by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a) to (c) No such report regarding large scale deforestation has come to the notice of this Ministry. However, sporadic incidences of small scale illicit felling are reported at some places. Such details are not maintained at the level of Ministry.

The primary responsibility of protection and management of forest areas from various threats including illegal felling of trees lies with the respective State/UT Governments. For protection of forest resources, States and UTs take actions under various acts such as Indian Forest Act, 1927, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 etc and State Forest Acts and rules made thereunder.

(d) & (e) To increase the forest cover in the country, afforestation programme is taken up under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as National Afforestation Programme (NAP), Green India Mission (GIM), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) which from 2015-16 has been amalgamated as the Watershed Development Component of the “Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)” and under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

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