No large-scale deforestation in J&K: Government

Srinagar, Oct 27: Jammu and Kashmir’s forest cover has expanded by nearly 400 sq km over the past decade, the government informed the Legislative Assembly, while ruling out reports of large-scale deforestation, timber smuggling, or encroachments on forest land across J&K.

As per the reply by the Minister Incharge of the Forest, Ecology, and Environment Department, there were “no reports of any large-scale deforestation, timber theft, or encroachment on forest land in J&K.”

The minister was responding to a question raised by MLA Mubarak Gul in a written reply.

According to the reply, forest assessments conducted by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) show a steady improvement in green cover.

As per the 2023 FSI report, J&K recorded an increase of 34.78 sq km in forest cover compared to the 2021 assessment.

Over the last 10 years, J&K has added 398.12 sq km of forest area, reflecting a consistent positive trend in ecological restoration.

The reply also shared data on illegal tree-felling cases.

Between 2020 and 2025, the Forest Department registered over 4000 cases, including 1177 in 2020-21, 993 in 2021-22, 777 in 2022-23, 444 in 2023-24, and several more in 2024-25.

All these cases have been booked under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

On the issue of restoring degraded forest land, the minister said that several large-scale plantation and afforestation programmes were underway under CAPEX, CAMPA, and the Green India Mission.

Initiatives like ‘J&K Green Drive,’ ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,’ and ‘Ek Ped Shaheed Ke Naam’ form part of the government’s sustained efforts to expand green cover and rehabilitate degraded landscapes.

The department has said that these plantation drives were being implemented with active participation from local communities, educational institutions, NGOs, and government bodies to promote environmental conservation and sustainable forest management across J&K.