GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Environment and Forests
RAJYASABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 894
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.07,2009
Encroachment in Forests
894. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHARE
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is undertaking surveys to detect encroachment of quarries, mines, etc. into forests;
(b) if so, details of the States where such surveys have been ordered and the status thereof;
(c) the details of the agencies conducting such surveys and expected time of completion; and
(d) whether Government is considering to make the survey reports public and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS
(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a) to (d) Protection of Forests is the responsibility of the State/UT Government. Depending on the gravity of the encroachment, etc, the State/UTs do resort to undertake surveys to determine its extent. Such surveys can be undertaken by the working plan Divisions of the State Forest Department, Forest Survey of India and Survey of India etc. The Central Government do not maintain records of such survey. In the complaints involving violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act1980, depending on its seriousness, the Central Government also requests the State/UT Governments to get the survey conducted to ascertain the extent of the violation of the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.