Jammu and Kashmir has had 1,086.01 hectares of forest land approved for diversion for non-forestry purposes during the last three years and the current financial year up to August 6, 2026, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha.
The figure forms part of the 82,817.92 hectares of forest land approved for diversion across the country during the period under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. The total area is equivalent to around 828.18 square kilometres.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the forest land approved for diversion in Jammu and Kashmir accounts for approximately 1.31 per cent of the national total.
Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh said forest cover in the country is assessed every two years by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, using remote sensing technology along with extensive ground verification.
The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 placed India’s total forest cover at 7,15,342.61 square kilometres, accounting for 21.76 per cent of the country’s geographical area. The assessment also showed an increase of 156.41 square kilometres in forest cover compared with 2021.
The Centre said proposals seeking diversion of forest land are considered individually in accordance with the applicable laws, rules and guidelines. Authorities assess the potential impact of each proposal on forests, wildlife and the wider environment before granting approval.
According to the government, forest land can be diverted only when such use is considered unavoidable and site-specific, while the area approved is kept to the minimum necessary for the proposed project.
Approved projects are also subjected to various safeguards and mitigation measures. These include compensatory afforestation, payment of Net Present Value (NPV), soil and moisture conservation, wildlife management plans and catchment area treatment plans, wherever required.
Madhya Pradesh recorded the largest area approved for forest diversion among states, at 22,027.02 hectares. It was followed by Odisha with 10,098.99 hectares and Arunachal Pradesh with 7,828.31 hectares.
Jammu and Kashmir’s figure of 1,086.01 hectares was significantly higher than that of the neighbouring Union Territory of Ladakh, where 3.98 hectares of forest land was approved for diversion during the same period.
The government reiterated that forest land diversion remains subject to prior approval and prescribed environmental safeguards, with mitigation measures aimed at limiting the ecological impact of projects requiring the use of forest land.
