A massive 13,000 square kilometres of forest area is under encroachment in 25 states and union territories, according to data submitted to the union environment ministry. This is not the final figure, as reports from ten states are still awaited. The report was compiled after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance of a news report that cited large tracts of forest areas being encroached upon.
According to the ministry’s report, Madhya Pradesh had the highest forest encroachment, with 5,460.9 square kilometres affected as of March 2024. Assam has 3,620.9 square kilometres of forest area under encroachment.
A total of 863.08 square kilometres of forest land in Karnataka is under encroachment, followed by 575.54 square kilometres in Maharashtra, 534.9 square kilometres in Arunachal Pradesh, 405.07 square kilometres in Odisha, 264.97 square kilometres in Uttar Pradesh, 247.72 square kilometres in Mizoram, 200.40 square kilometres in Jharkhand, and 168.91 square kilometres in Chhattisgarh. These are states with large tribal populations, from whom land was forcibly taken during the British era and continued by independent India. Therefore, it is essential to remember that the figures may be misleading, as the ownership remains contested. Many areas that fall under state forests were not taken after due consultation in most tribal areas. A review of which land is state-owned is necessary to avoid future conflicts.