Over 13,000 Sq Km of Forest Land Encroached in 25 States and UTs
Forest areas spanning over 13,056 square kilometers across 25 states and Union Territories in India have been encroached upon, according to a report submitted by the Ministry of Environment to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Alarmingly, this encroached area exceeds the total geographical area of Delhi, Sikkim, and Goa combined.
The Ministry provided this data in response to a directive from the NGT in a case concerning forest land encroachment. However, 10 states and UTs have still not submitted their forest encroachment data, despite reminders.
Key Highlights from the Report:
- Assam tops the list with 3,620.9 sq km of forest encroachment.
- Arunachal Pradesh: 5,460.9 sq km
- Karnataka: 863.03 sq km
- Maharashtra: 575.54 sq km
- Telangana: 405.07 sq km
- Uttar Pradesh: 264.97 sq km
- Mizoram: 247.72 sq km
- Jharkhand: 200.4 sq km
- Chhattisgarh: 168.91 sq km
The Ministry’s report was based on data available up to March 2024, submitted by the respective states and UTs.
States That Have Not Yet Provided Forest Encroachment Data:
- Bihar
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Telangana
- West Bengal
- Nagaland
- Delhi
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Ladakh
These states were asked to present encroachment figures and action taken reports during a series of meetings, the last of which was held on May 28, 2024.
NGT’s Concern and Next Steps
The NGT had requested this data for better monitoring of environmental violations. It had issued reminders, including a joint meeting with state forest officials. However, lack of response from many states remains a major concern.
The tribunal has asked these 10 states to:
- Submit verified encroachment data
- Provide details of actions taken
- Outline proposed remedial measures
