(a) the total area of land reserved for forests in the State of Gujarat, area-wise;
(b) the number of people illegally residing on the forest land for several years, area-wise;
(c) whether the Government is formulating/has formulated any policy to allot pattas to these people for construction of houses and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) if not, whether the Government is likely to evict these people from the forest land and if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN):
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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Statement referred to in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 233 by Shri Devusinh Chauhan due for reply on 01.08.2017
(a)Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, a subordinate organization under Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report. As per the latest report i.e. India State of Forest Report- 2015, the total recorded forest area in Gujarat State is 21,647 square kilometer, out of which 14,373 square kilometer area is under Reserved Forest.
(b)As per the information received from the State Forest Department of Gujarat, the total number of people illegally residing on the forest land are 99064.
(c) & (d) Government of India has passed an act namely the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, which provides a framework for recording the forest rights so vested and the nature of evidence required for such recognition and vesting in respect of forest land in respect of member or members of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dwellers who have been residing in such forests for generations but whose rights could not be recorded. As per the information from Forest Department of Gujarat, such cases of allowing rights/allotting pattas are considered after scrutiny under the said act.
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