GUWAHATI: A recent report from the Union Environment Ministry submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) reveals that over 13,000 square kilometers of forest land in India is currently facing encroachment. This area exceeds the total geographical size of Delhi, Sikkim, and Goa combined.
The NGT had previously acknowledged encroachment concerns following a media report that identified 750,648 hectares (approximately 7,506.48 square kilometers) of forest land as encroached. As of March 2024, the ministry’s findings indicate that a total of 1,305,668.1 hectares (or 13,056 square kilometers) of forest area is impacted across 25 states and Union Territories (UTs) that have submitted data.
These regions include the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, among others. Madhya Pradesh reports the highest level of encroachment at 5,460.9 square kilometers, followed by Assam with 3,620.9 square kilometers of its forest land affected. Other significant states with encroachment issues include Karnataka (863.08 square kilometers), Maharashtra (575.54 square kilometers), and Odisha (405.07 square kilometers).
The report also noted that 409.77 square kilometers of encroached forest land has been cleared, although it remains unclear if this figure is included in the overall encroached area. The ministry has made efforts to collect data from states through multiple reminders and meetings, underscoring the importance of reporting forest encroachment.
