13,056 Sq Km of Forest Land Encroached Across 25 States, MP and Assam Worst Affected

A staggering 13,056 square kilometers of forest land—exceeding the combined geographical area of Delhi, Sikkim, and Goa—has been encroached upon across 25 states and Union Territories, according to data submitted by the Union Environment Ministry to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The alarming figures were compiled after the NGT directed the ministry to gather state-wise data on forest encroachment in April 2024, following a PTI report that had earlier revealed 7,506.48 square kilometers of forest land under encroachment. The ministry’s latest submission, made last week, presents an updated and more extensive assessment.

Madhya Pradesh, Assam Among Worst Affected

According to the report, Madhya Pradesh leads the list with 5,460.9 square kilometers of encroached forest land, followed by Assam with 3,620.9 square kilometers. Other states reporting significant encroachments include:

• Karnataka – 863.08 sq km

• Maharashtra – 575.54 sq km

• Arunachal Pradesh – 534.9 sq km

• Odisha – 405.07 sq km

• Uttar Pradesh – 264.97 sq km

• Mizoram – 247.72 sq km

• Jharkhand – 200.40 sq km

• Chhattisgarh – 168.91 sq km

Other affected states and Union Territories include Tamil Nadu (157.68 sq km), Andhra Pradesh (133.18 sq km), Gujarat (130.08 sq km), Punjab (75.67 sq km), Uttarakhand (49.92 sq km), Kerala (49.75 sq km), Tripura (42.42 sq km), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (37.42 sq km), and Manipur (32.7 sq km).

Encroachment Removal Efforts

The report also mentioned that authorities have removed encroachment from 409.77 square kilometers of forest land so far. However, it remains unclear whether this reclaimed area has been deducted from the total encroached land as of March 2024.

The findings underscore the widespread issue of forest encroachment in India, raising serious concerns over deforestation and environmental degradation. The NGT is expected to take further action based on this data.

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