Kolkata, New Delhi, INDIA. New York, USA.
Business To Business, New Delhi, 30th July, 2026: More than 1.05 lakh hectares of forest land were diverted for non-forest purposes between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026, under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday.
In a written reply to a question by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said that over 1.05 lakh hectares of forest land had been approved for diversion during the five-year period.
The latest figures follow the minister's statement in the Lok Sabha on July 20, when he said that more than 1.88 lakh hectares of forest land had been diverted for non-forest purposes over the past decade.
The data also indicated a significant increase in the area of forest land diverted between 2021-22 and 2025-26, highlighting a rising trend in approvals for non-forest use during the period.
The diversion of forest land under the Act is permitted for specified projects subject to statutory approvals and compliance with conditions aimed at mitigating environmental impacts.