In 10 years, over 40 hectares of forest land diverted for development works in Chandigarh
Nearly 40.72 hectares of forest land in the city have been diverted for development activities in the past 10 years.
In response to a question raised during the ongoing Budget Session of the Lok Sabha on diversion of forest land for development activities since 2014, Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, stated that 40.72 hectares were diverted for various development activities in Chandigarh from April 1, 2014, to March 31 last year. The forest land was diverted for non-forestry purpose under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, he stated.
According to officials, nearly 39.82 hectares were diverted for extension of PGIMER buildings.
The minister said the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, carried out wall-to-wall forest cover mapping of the country in every two-year cycle and had been publishing the findings in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) since 1987. The FSI has published 18 reports so far, the latest being the ISFR-2023.
According to the 2023 report, the city had 25 sq km of forest cover and 21.18 sq km green cover.
According to officials, there was a net increase of 5.66 sq km in the forest and tree cover of the UT as compared to the ISFR-2021. The total forest and tree cover was 40.52 sq km in 2021, which increased to 46.18 sq km in 2023.
As per the ISFR, the tree cover in Chandigarh in 2001 was 2 sq km and it increased to 21.18 sq km in 2023. Similarly, the forest cover went up from 13 sq km in 2001 to 25 sq km in 2023.
