Resource detail

India during the last five years diverted over 88,903 hectares of forest land — a size more than the area of Mumbai and Kolkata put together — for non-forestry purpose, with the highest of over 19,424 hectares being for road construction followed by 18,847 hectares for mining, 13,344 hectares for irrigation projects, 9,469 hectares for transmission lines and 7,630 hectares for defence projects. Sometimes diverting forest land for non-forestry purposes becomes unavoidable. Planting lakhs of saplings cannot immediately compensate for the loss caused to the environment. The data shared for the five-year period (April 1, 2018 March 31, 2023) show that the Centre had taken decisions for diversions for over 25 kinds of projects/ works including those concerning railways (4,769 hectares), thermal power plants, solar power works and drinking water facilities among others.