Affidavit by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on the declining forest cover in northeastern states, 08/05/2025
Affidavit by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in OA No. 20 of 2025 (News item titled Assam forest's shrink by 83.92 sq km in just two years Report appearing in the Assamtribune.com dated 22.12.2024). The application was registered suo motu based on the news item titled "Assam's forests shrink by 83.92 sq km in just two years report" appearing in the Assamtribune.com dated December 22, 2024.
In the news item it has been said that the forest cover in Assam is declining by 83.92 square kilometers between 2021 and 2023 as per the India State of Forest Report 2023.The news article further mentioned that this decline is part of a broader trend observed across the northeastern states of India, which collectively lost 372.30 square kilometers of forest cover during the same period, with Mizoram experiencing the highest decrease of 178.42 square kilometers.
To ascertain the correct position of the matter, MoEFCC vide letter, March 17, 2025 sought a factual status report from the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun. FSI, April 4, 2025 in response asked the northeastern states to communicate the specific reasons for the decline in forest cover in their states to the MoEFCC along with FSI. Till date no information has been received from the state governments in this regard.
Land is a subject matter of the state government. The forest areas and the legal boundaries are determined and maintained by the concerned state government. The actions on the forest land falls within the purview of the concerned states (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram) and therefore Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram are the concerned authorities to take action in the matter, the report said.