Forest Land Diversion Rises 56% in Five Years, Mining Tops List

The Centre has reported a steady increase in forest land diversion for non-forest purposes over the past five years, with more than 1.05 lakh hectares cleared under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. Government data presented in Parliament show that mining and road projects accounted for the largest share of approvals during the period, highlighting the growing pace of land conversion alongside the country's expanding infrastructure and industrial development.

The data, shared by Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, show that 1,05,329 hectares of forest land were diverted between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026 under the Act. Earlier, the minister had informed the Lok Sabha that more than 1.88 lakh hectares of forest land had been diverted over the past decade, indicating that over half of the 10-year total was cleared during the last five years.

Government data reveal a fluctuating but overall upward trend in annual forest diversion. The area diverted increased from 17,189.14 hectares in 2021-22 to around 18,447 hectares in 2022-23, crossed 25,000 hectares in 2023-24, dipped to nearly 17,745 hectares in 2024-25, and climbed to a five-year high of 26,858.08 hectares in 2025-26 —an increase of more than 56 per cent compared to the first year of the period.

The cumulative diversion over the five years amounts to nearly 1,056 square kilometres, while the total forest land diverted during 2016-2026 exceeds the geographical area of Delhi, which spans about 1.48 lakh hectares, underscoring the scale of land conversion for development projects.

Among states, Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest diversion at 24,969 hectares, followed by Odisha with 12,716.27 hectares. Both states are home to extensive mining activity and major infrastructure projects, contributing significantly to the national total.

Sector-wise, mining and quarrying accounted for the largest share of diverted forest land, with more than 23,000 hectares, followed by road projects, which used over 22,000 hectares. Together, the two sectors contributed nearly 43 per cent of the total forest land diverted during the five-year period. Other approved categories included power transmission lines, irrigation projects, railways, defence infrastructure, industrial facilities and public utilities.

Forest land diversion in India requires prior approval from the Central Government under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. According to the government, every approval is subject to statutory safeguards such as compensatory afforestation, payment of the Net Present Value (NPV) of forests, wildlife conservation measures, soil and moisture conservation works and other environmental conditions. The clearance process is administered through the PARIVESH online portal.

The Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 mandates that funds collected from project developers be used to create and regenerate forests to offset ecological loss. Recent parliamentary data also show that the Forest Advisory Committee examined 775 forest diversion proposals between July 2023 and May 2026, recommending 378 for in-principle approval. While the government maintains that forest clearances are granted only after due scrutiny and mitigation measures, the rising pace of diversion continues to fuel debate over balancing infrastructure development with biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, water security and the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities.