"India's Forest Cover Increased by 156.41 sq km", Says MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh

India's green footprint has expanded further, with a net increase of 156.41 square kilometres in forest cover and 1,289.40 square kilometres in tree cover across the country, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Citing data from the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, the minister stated in a written reply that the new figures reflect a steady growth when compared to the previous assessment in ISFR-2021.

“Protection and management of forests and tree cover are primarily the responsibilities of the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. There are legal frameworks for the protection and management of forests and tree cover of the country, which include the Indian Forest Act, 1927; the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980; the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; the State Forest Acts; the Tree Preservation Acts and Rules made thereunder,” the written reply stated.

The Union Minister also addressed the issue of illegal tree felling, stating that offenders are dealt with under relevant forest protection laws through appropriate legal channels. The responsibility for maintaining records of such offences lies with the respective state or UT administrations.

Forest authorities on the ground are tasked with assessing illegally felled trees and recording the details in official forest offence registers, following procedures laid down by their respective governments.

Highlighting the proactive measures being taken to curb illegal logging and promote forest protection, Singh said the government has instituted a range of on-ground strategies.

These include:

Regular patrolling by frontline forest staff

Establishment of patrolling and anti-poaching camps

Setting up check posts in strategic and vulnerable forest locations

Deployment of vigilance and flying squad teams

Frequent inspections in high-risk areas

Implementation of Joint Forest Management programs

Community engagement through awareness campaigns and educational initiatives

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