Ashwini Choubey, the Union Minister of State (MoS) for the Environment, Forests, and Climate Change responded to a question from Gujarati Rajya Sabha member Shaktisinh Gohil about encroachment on forest land. He informed that the government regularised 11 forest encroachments by industries and institutions. The Union government told Parliament that the government regularised encroachments on forest land.
Gohil wanted to determine how many businesses and individuals in Gujarat had encroached on forest land and whether or not the government recognised these encroachments as legal. Further, Additionally, he asked for information regarding the fines the National Green Tribunal, Supreme Court, and High Court levied against these businesses or individuals for trespassing on Gujarati green lands.
In retort, the Union minister said, “Government of Gujarat has recorded 766 encroachment cases on forest land by industries and individuals. Further, according to the penal provisions under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the government regularised the 11 encroachments done by organisations as per the legal provisions.”
“Government of Gujarat has reported that National Green Tribunal/Supreme Court/High Court did not impose any fine in any of the above cases.”
The reply also mentioned, “The ministry has written to state governments/UT administrations to remove encroachments as per the existing acts and to ensure that no further encroachment takes place.”
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