By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: More than 2.8 million trees on forest land across India were approved for felling between July 2023 and May 2026 as the Union Environment Ministry cleared hundreds of proposals for non-forestry projects, according to an analysis published by environmental magazine Down To Earth (DTE).
The report, based on an examination of official records and meeting minutes of the Advisory Committee constituted under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, found that a large majority of forest diversion proposals received approval during the three-year period.
According to the analysis, the committee reviewed 288 unique proposals seeking diversion of forest land for various developmental activities. Of these, 242 proposals were approved, translating to an approval rate of over 80 per cent.
The approved projects collectively resulted in the diversion of more than 22,000 hectares of forest land for activities such as mining, hydropower generation, transmission infrastructure, rehabilitation projects and other non-forestry purposes.
Mining emerged as the single largest contributor to tree loss. The sector accounted for approximately 1.35 million trees approved for felling or already felled. Hydropower projects followed closely, accounting for around 930,000 trees, while rehabilitation projects were linked to the removal of about 230,000 trees.
Together, these three sectors were responsible for nearly 90 per cent of all tree-felling recorded in the forest diversion proposals analysed by the publication.
The report also sheds light on the scale of forest land affected by approved projects. Of the 288 proposals examined, 139 involved diversion of forest areas measuring up to 10 hectares. Another 55 proposals covered between 11 and 100 hectares, while 35 projects involved forest land ranging from 101 to 500 hectares.
Nine projects sought diversion of forest areas between 501 and 1,000 hectares, while four proposals involved more than 1,000 hectares of forest land each.
Among states, Chhattisgarh recorded the highest number of trees approved for felling during the period under review. One of the largest approvals was granted for the Kente Extension Opencast Coal Mining and Pit-Head Coal Washery Project in the Surguja region, where more than 400,000 trees were cleared for removal.
The project has been a subject of controversy, with local communities raising concerns over forest rights, land ownership issues and environmental impacts.
The analysis also highlighted gaps in transparency surrounding tree-felling data. At least 84 projects reported no tree felling despite involving forest diversion, while records relating to 14 projects did not contain any information on the number of trees likely to be affected.
Among the projects lacking complete data was the proposed Sijimali Bauxite Mining Project in Odisha. The project seeks diversion of more than 708 hectares of forest land and is being developed by Vedanta Group.
While official records acknowledged that tree enumeration was underway and noted potential environmental impacts, they did not specify the number of trees expected to be cut.
The report further pointed to contradictions in the project’s environmental assessment documents. While some sections described the ecological impact of tree felling as minimal due to what was termed “limited biodiversity” on the plateau, other sections warned that clearing forests near valley areas could disrupt wildlife habitats, displace species, increase soil erosion and affect nearby water bodies through sedimentation.
Environmental experts have repeatedly argued that large-scale forest diversion poses serious risks to biodiversity, carbon storage, water security and the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. They have also called for greater transparency in the approval process and stronger scrutiny of projects involving extensive tree felling.
The findings add to growing concerns over the pace of forest clearances in the country. In a previous assessment published in 2019, Down To Earth had reported that the Environment Ministry approved the felling of nearly 6.94 million trees between 2016 and 2019, based on information provided in Parliament by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The latest figures indicate that forest diversion for development projects continues to remain a significant environmental issue, even as India pursues ambitious climate and conservation commitments.