Over 1.73 lakh hectares of India’s forest land were diverted for non-forestry purposes between 2014 and 2024, with mining and hydropower projects leading the charge, the environment ministry revealed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh, responding to Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat, stated that 1,73,984.3 hectares were approved under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, for various projects from April 2014 to March 2024. Mining and quarrying topped the list, claiming 40,096.17 hectares, particularly in mineral-rich central and eastern India. Hydropower and irrigation projects followed closely, diverting 40,138.31 hectares for dams, canals, and reservoirs.

Linear infrastructure, including roads (30,605.69 hectares) and power transmission lines (17,232.69 hectares), also significantly impacted forest cover. Defence projects consumed 14,968.14 hectares, while railway expansions accounted for 7,998.65 hectares. Other notable diversions included 9,669.85 hectares for miscellaneous uses, 3,250 hectares for converting forest villages into revenue villages, and 2,644.02 hectares for thermal power projects.

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Smaller allocations included 1,580.55 hectares for rehabilitation schemes, 1,282.21 hectares for drinking water supply, 543.57 hectares for pipelines, and 405.82 hectares for industrial projects. Renewable energy and village electrification projects used 346.84 hectares for wind power and 551.13 hectares for electrification. Educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and communication infrastructure took up smaller portions, with 83.46 hectares for schools, 113.31 hectares for hospitals, and minimal areas for solar power (1.57 hectares) and rainwater harvesting (0.11 hectares).

The minister emphasized that diversions are permitted only in “unavoidable circumstances” with mitigation measures, amid concerns raised by a 2023 Centre for Science and Environment report noting a 150% surge in forest clearances for infrastructure between 2014 and 2023. The data underscores the ongoing tension between India’s development goals and environmental conservation.

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